Dorm Life of Teiko Academy
by AsianCutie93
Summary: Alternate Universe- The Generation of Miracles are going to different dorms in Teiko Academy in order to find out who is the best, but Kuroko is looking for something else. Almost everyone/Kuroko
1. Chapter 1 Kuroko's Challenge

**Summary**: After winning Winter Cup, Kuroko asks his friends to participate in a challenge before celebrating their graduation. Every day has it's ups and downs but the Generation of Miracles never have a dull day together.

**Notes**:  
1. Remember that Japanese Schools typically start at different times than schools in the United States. Schools generally start between Mid-March to Early April in order to use the season of Spring to inspire students in their studies and activities.  
2. Asakusa Hanayashiki is an old amusement park in Tokyo, near Asakusa Station.  
3. This fanfic is going to be slow, long, and sporadically updated. If this upsets you, you can wait until this is finished but it can take a while.

**Warnings**: Not really much in this chapter. There will be other warnings in future chapters.

For pairings, I still have not decided between Plan A or Plan B.

**Plan A**- Generation of Miracles/Kuroko, Momoi/Kuroko, Kasamatsu/Kuroko, Takao/Kuroko, Imayoshi/Kuroko, Himuro/Kuroko, and Mayuzumi/Kuroko

**Plan B**- Midorima/Kuroko, Akashi/Furihata, Aomine/Momoi, Murisakibara/Himuro, Takao/Kasamatsu, and Imayoshi/Kise

Perhaps you can help me decide?

**Word Count**: 4,151 Words

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Kuroko took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He was not even front of the Generation of Miracles, and yet he was still anxious about what he wanted to propose to them.

It was his first day after a long, well-thought out hiatus from Teiko Middle School. During that time, he battled with his feelings about his friends, the middle school children that were exceptionally gifted at basketball and who were undefeated in their two years of playing (four of them were playing for three years as Basketball Regulars) the sport. They were good kids and talented, but perhaps they were too gifted at what they did. Not only the colorful boys' bodies were taking a toll due to their high level of play, but their minds in contrast were not getting enough stimulation.

Everyone had sunken into a lull, by a sleepy ether concocted of ingredients such as over-inflated ego, narcissism, and laziness, and the effects of such a drug were only heightened by an environment that overly glorified a bunch of young teenagers just because they could play basketball at an accelerated level. Thankfully Kuroko had thought of a way to undo these damages, but he knew it was going to be a taxing job for him in high school at Teiko Academy in the spring. Still, it if brought them back together like the days they used to have before, the phantom player knew he had to try. For himself, for his friends, the simple motivation alone was all he needed.

The final bell rang, signaling the end of the last school day and tomorrow's graduation good-bye to the senior class. Kuroko used his misdirection and lack of presence to get to the basketball court quickly. The light-blue male did not have to wait long for the Captain and Vice-Captain to appear and open the doors to the gymnasium. Akashi greeted the smaller teen politely while Midorima just nodded at Kuroko's presence. The ghostly boy's face was expressionless, but deep down; he could feel his heart beat heavily against his rib cage. The aggressive drumming was threatening to wound his fragile frame, but Kuroko could not delay this further. He had to set his plan in motion.

"Tetsuya, I am glad that you are back. Wait inside for everyone else. Atsushi, Daiki, Ryouta, and Satsuki should be here shortly. After all, today is going to be a trip to Asakusa Hanayashiki. I do not think they could refuse such an offer." Akashi told his friend casually.

"Akashi-kun, Midorima-kun, when everyone is here… will you allow me to ask you all something very important? I hope you do not mind." Kuroko asked hesitantly. Akashi nodded and walked in. Midorima bluntly asked the shortest member if he felt well enough to go to the amusement park, and Kuroko quietly dismissed any concerns for his health, assuring the Vice-Captain that the illness that drove him away from school was not a physical one but a mental problem he needed to sort out.

As Seiijuro told the teal boy, the other teammates and the manager of the basketball team arrived within ten minutes. Momoi was the most festive, dressed for the warming weather with a mint tube-top, jean shorts, and white, sun hat with a wide brim to protect her face from any strong winds. Her signature, silky, pink hair flowed down her back and shoulders, giving the outfit a little more modesty. Kuroko flashed a tiny smile at her obvious excitement for the trip, but sadly he would have to cause a slight delay.

"Tetsuya, we are all here now. Would you like to ask us now?" His mentor asked. The shadow teammate nodded.

"I just thought that instead of following our previous plans of all of us joining Rakuzan Dormitory in Teiko Academy, that everyone pick a different dorm so that way we can play against each other." Akashi raised his eyebrow at the idea. It was certainly interesting, even more so because Tetsuya suggested it.

"But Kurokocchi, I would miss being on your team. You were my instructor!" Kise gasped. The blonde ran to Kuroko's side and gave him a hug. "Why do you not want us as teammates anymore? Is it because Murisakibaracchi keeps messing up your hair? Please don't punish me because of that abrasive, violet giant…" Murisakibara chucked a ball at Kise, but both the copycat and passing specialist dodged their head in time to miss the hurling object.

"No Kise-kun, I am not suggesting this idea as a form of punishment. I am suggesting this as a challenge. Aren't any of you curious as to who is the best basketball player among us?" Akashi rolled his eyes.

"Tetsu, that is stupid. Of course I am the best! The only one who can beat me is me." Aomine declared. Not long after that the Captain could not help a haughty laugh escape his lips. Midorima huffed at the tan boy's arrogance and claims of being the best and Murisakibara put his snacks down to give Aomine an affectionate pat on the head. Daiki snapped and aggressively swatted the tallest man's gargantuan hand away. "What is this? Don't treat me like a child!" Kise buried a confident smirk into Kuroko's aqua hair. Momoi looked as if she wanted to say something, but kept glancing fearfully at Akashi.

"Hm… interesting," the red head remarked. "I thought that arrogance of yours Daiki had been disciplined properly. Apparently I have been to kind on the matter. You have amazing abilities Daiki, and I believe that you can beat almost anyone here as long as you are in the Zone. But no amount of talent can overwhelm me, which is why I am Teiko's Captain. Why don't you ask Satsuki who her data favors?" Seiijuro crossed his arms and his heterochromatic eyes were beaming with the pride of a king. Aomine tried to charge at the Captain and beat his leaner, weaker body into a bloody mess but Murisakibara had grabbed his arms in time to hold him back, and Midorima held his head back with those precious fingers that were always taped. Still, that disgusting laugh from their mighty Captain made Aomine angry.

"You are a bastard! Let's have a match right now!" Momoi closed her eyes, unable to stomach more bickering.

"Enough. A competition now does not have merit." Kuroko said to silence his teammates. The blue-haired teen reluctantly nodded and Akashi stayed quiet. "We will pick a dorm to choose as our own, and through competition will we decide who the best is. The one who can claim Winter Cup is unquestionably the best player Teiko has to offer. We should not fight on our last day of school. We are still a team." The slender, pale teen slipped easily out of Kise's arms and sauntered closer to the door to comfort Momoi. Though Satsuki shed no tears, she seemed terribly upset by everyone's reactions to the proposal. Daiki gave a low apology; he never meant to scare his childhood friend.

"Tetsuya is right. A match right now means nothing unless there is something at stake." Seiijuro said as a subtle way to apologize to the pink-haired girl.

"As much as I hate to say this, I think Kuroko's idea is interesting. I think the Shuutoku Dormitory has players that are suitable to my style, which would optimize my chances of Victory in this challenge." The Vice-Captain paused to adjust his glasses. "Do any of you object to my choice?"

"I do not oppose this at all Shintaro." Akashi approved.

"Oh, if we get to choose I want to take Kaijou Dormitory. They look really strong!" Kise grinned.

"I want Seirin Dormitory. They have an excellent coach that was a former WNBA player, and she could really help me improve my skills." Kuroko decided.

"Pretty good choice Tetsu, I heard that coach has a nice rack. A friend of mine, Sakurai, is playing for Touou Dormitory. He is pretty good… as in, I don't think he'll hold me back." Aomine decided. Momoi sighed and knew that she had to be a part of Touou Dormitory as well in order to make sure the skilled ace did not get into trouble.

"Hm, Yosen Dormitory is closest to the kitchen that is open twenty-four hours a day. Can I join them Akachin? I'll try to not stay there for too long…" Murisakibara asked.

"Yes Atsushi, as long as you do not break your curfew. Of course, special occasions and important games will be exceptions. I will stay with Rakuzan. I like the idea of making three of the five Uncrowned Kings take orders from me, a first year Captain." Akashi grabbed his school bag. "We can leave our bags in the locker room and come back for them later. We need to hurry to get to Asakusa Hanayashiki in time."

It did not take long for the colorful teens to get to the station. The apparition-like player in between his conversations with the ace and copycat, would drift to the intelligent, data manager. While she had her lips curled in a small smile, it was clear to the teal boy that she seemed either disappointed or nervous (perhaps both). Usually the beautiful, young woman could converse with everyone with vigor, and yet she was sitting alone staring out at the window and barely making a sound.

The old and magnificent amusement park filled everyone in delight. Flowers in full bloom despite it being too early for buds to burst open, the roar of the rides and screams of joy and adrenaline from the park patrons, and the enthusiasm that filled the air was almost intoxicating to the Teiko Middle School students.

"Hey Tetsu-kun, can you go on the Ferris wheel with me?" Satsuki asked right after intertwining her fingers with Tetsuya's own. Kise pouted and the other Generation of Miracles also had disapproving reactions. The oldest member of their team was not a social person, so everyone wanted to spend time with the quiet teen before the big departure.

"But I want Kurokocchi to accompany me to the Haunted Mansion! I need someone brave in case I get scared." Ryouta whined.

"Momoi-san, I think Kise-kun is right. We should save the Ferris wheel for the end so we can see the sunset. It would be much better to go on the more distracting rides before then." Kuroko said with hardly any change in his facial muscles. "I am sure some of the extreme rides will not be scary if everyone rides them together."

It was quite a sight to see the group of seven (most people only saw six due to Kuroko's weak presence) riding the rides. Bright flashes of colorful heads and eyes, athletic bodies, and odd personalities made them stand out. The majority of people their age at the park kept recognizing them, even those that did not play basketball. To the invisible, sixth man, it was a little unsettling having his teammates get stared or pointed at. The attention was most annoying when the Generation of Miracles would stop to play various games for prizes (of possible lucky items for the malachite-haired, Vice-Captain). The crowds would scream for his or her favorite player's name in an intense chant, turning the friendly group that already had seeds of tension to grow more animosity on this last, peaceful day as a team.

While Kuroko could not blame the strangers, it made him sad that their reactions to their infamous reputations led to the soiling of this day in the amusement park. Momoi seemed to share his sentiments as well, for every competition made her huff and roll her eyes as the boys instead of joining the crowd and happily cheering for Aomine (though she would use "Dai-chan" rather than his last name). It seemed the busty girl had enough of the vile relationship they called friendship.

"Everyone, the sun is starting to set. We should go to the Ferris wheel soon. Since eight people can fit into a Ferris wheel gondola and a lot of people that came with younger children are leaving, it should not be too hard to acquire a gondola all to ourselves. They probably wouldn't mind if we only have seven because Murisakibara-kun's legs are rather long, making an additional person uncomfortable." Kuroko suggested. Akashi nodded and led the group to the Ferris wheel line. Just as the shadow player predicted, the wait was not short.

The man managing the ride at first measure the tallest member of the Generation of Miracles, wanting to make sure the boy was not too tall or too heavy for the gondola's capacity if he wished to ride with his friends. Once it was determined to be safe, everyone settled into the bench seats inside. One side had Akashi, Murisakibara, and Midorima, while opposite of them sat Kise, Kuroko, Momoi, and Aomine.

The ride was a bit shaky but as they got higher the gondola adjusted to their weight and allowed all seven basketball geniuses to enjoy the sights. The flower petals being scatter off by the wind, the park that appeared so expansive and vast was growing smaller with every passing second, and the sky seemed to be getting closer. Pastel pinks, blues, and yellows painted the sky, adding an ethereal background to the moment. Most of the members were preoccupied by the setting sun, leaving Kuroko and Momoi to silently stare at each other and gently hold hands.

"You do not seem entirely joyous like you used to be Momoi-san." Kuroko whispered so that no one but the manager could hear.

"I am grateful for this day, and I will cherish this moment with you Tetsu-kun. It is just…" Her beautiful eyes glossed with the sadness she kept hidden from her best friends. "… I wish we could have more carefree moments like this. Now that everyone is going to play for different teams, we're only going to grow apart even further. I really hope my predictions aren't true." Kuroko tightened his grip on her delicate hand, careful to be firm and comforting rather than painful. "Tetsu-kun?"

"Momoi-san, what I plan to do will take some time but please, have faith. I promise we will never grow apart. I would be too sad to lose my friends, who were the ones that made me love basketball so much and have accepted me as one of them. You do not have to be sad for too long Momoi-san. I cannot stand the pain either." Kuroko vowed. Satsuki grinned infectiously, powerful enough to make Tetsuya to mirror her expression.

"Tetsu-kun!" She exclaimed before planting a kiss on his pale lips. The others turned their gaze away from the sunset and were shocked to see the sixth man and manager's lips locked together. They were not surprised that Momoi kissed Kuroko, but that the phantom member seemed to enjoy it. Those rounded, sky blue eyes were closed in bliss, soft cheekbones flushed with a light pink hue, and his cheeks were slightly hollowed for his face muscles were trying to press harder against the petite woman's full lips.

"Momoicchi, that's no fair! I want to kiss Kurokocchi too!" Kise was the first to break the silence; causing Kuroko and Momoi to part with expressions that were a mix of embarrassment and fear (they both knew that the Generation of Miracles had a slight crush on Kuroko as well).

"Satsuki, Tetsu, why didn't you invite me into the party?" While the statement was rather playful, the data collector knew Daiki was upset by her bold move.

"Honestly, those kinds of intimate acts are quite inappropriate when you are surrounded by several friends in an enclosed space. I can't believe the two of you would do something so vulgar. Perhaps Kise, but not you two…" Midorima said. The words were soaking and dripping wet with disappointment that he was not the one kissing Kuroko.

"Sachin, can I kiss Kuroko too? It looks like fun. I'll even eat a vanilla wafer so that I taste good to Kurochin." Murisakibara asked as if the pale teen was a ride that he was going to wait patiently to get on.

"Forgive us, we just got excited about the ride and got carried away." Kuroko said trying to dismiss all the unwanted attention. This did not please Akashi. The slightly taller, commanding red head grasped Tetsuya's shirt collar hard and yanked the object of his desire towards him so that they were face-to-face. Satsuki yelped in shock and the others froze, not wanting to upset the Captain even further. Ruby and Gold pierced into the expressionless depths of Aquamarine.

"Tetsuya, I do not think you are telling the truth. Do not try to defy me, for you know the promise you made." Seiijuro said with a firm gaze.

"I am sorry Akashi-kun. I do not mean to defy you. I deeply care about you, and everyone here. But before I can express those feelings properly, I need to find something."

"What could Satsuki possess that you cannot find in either of us? And if you are so keen on finding something, why would you not ask help from someone that can see everything? Tetsuya… this is not looking good for you…" Akashi's voice was that same, emperor's monotone that he would use on his enemies. As if on cue, the Ferris wheel started moving again and stopped once their unit had made it to the top.

"Akashi-kun, I do not really know what it is myself. I just know something is missing, and I want to find it before I continue." Kuroko sighed as he stared at those harsh eyes. To appease the emperor, Tetsuya leaned a little more forward so that his lips made contact with Seiijuro's own lips. The Captain's muscles clenched instinctively, not used to such affection. But this was Kuroko, and he desperately wanted to do this for almost a year. The red head relaxed his body, tilting his head so that he could apply more pressure. His eyes were fluttering closed, the anger his body felt was melting into euphoria. Before he could slip his hand behind Tetsuya's head and demand for more, the sneaky player pulled away to stare at Seiijuro again. "Please forgive me Akashi-kun. I need patience. You know I would never forget the promise I made, and I will always have a place in my heart specifically for all of the team. Even Kise-kun,"

"Why am I considered an afterthought?" the model cried.

"Very well Tetsuya, I see no lying in your words." Akashi said once he calmed himself down. The Captain gently released Kuroko's shirt and adjusted it so that it appeared untouched. "Everyone will wait patiently with you Tetsuya, even Ryouta."

"Akashicchi! You're picking on me too? Everyone is so mean-" Before Kise could finish his whining, the phantom teammate swooped in and stole a surprise kiss. The blonde could smell vanilla, cinnamon, and pink sugar from his former instructor, numbing his senses with the imprint of this intimate act. Such beautiful features and cold eyes on a delicate boy that was Kuroko, and yet a kiss that made Kise feel an intense fire in his body, threatening to consume the copycat. Sooner than the least-experienced player would have liked, the shortest male retreated back to his seat beside him and Momoi. "Kurokocchi…" The blonde said with pure satisfaction in his voice. Kise was caught in almost a dream-like state; his brain repeatedly replaying the sights, sounds, smells, and touches that the kiss sent through him. It made the blonde fall back against the bench with a genuine smile and a healthy blush across his cheeks.

"Hey Satsuki, would you mind if we switched places?" Daiki asked. The two childhood friends practically slid by each other in total synchronization, barely making the hanging gondola shake so the tan teenager could receive his kiss. "Honestly Tetsu, you'd give that idiot a kiss before me?" Kise was still too dazed to reply while Kuroko's lips curled into a small grin. The misdirection specialist turned his head to allow his best friend easier access to his pale, silky lips. It did not matter that Aomine's lips were a little chapped, or that they were still in a confined area where they were obviously being watched by five other people. They felt comfortable, safe, and secluded from the world when they kissed. When they parted, Midorima coughed uncomfortably.

"Not that I care who Kuroko decides to kiss, but if he cares to receive one from me, I would suggest that Aomine and I switch positions so that Kuroko isn't inconvenienced." The Vice Captain mumbled. The blue-haired teen smirked at Midorima's shyness, and got up slowly to let him know he would do as he recommended. It was a little trickier for instead of switched from one seat to another, it was switching benches. Once the accurate shooter waited for their carrier unit to steady, he began taking off his protective tape around his left hand's fingers.

"Midorima-kun?"

"It would be rude to hold another person's hand with bandages. Especially someone who is older than me like you Kuroko," The superstitious, young man gently whispered against the ghostly player, ticking the sensitive ears and fluffy strands of hair. Shintaro laced his left hand's long, strong fingers tenderly with Kuroko's right. The ethereal looking, smaller teenager knew how particular Midorima was about his left hand, so the trust in that meager gesture was enough to get the turquoise player's heart racing faster. Such softness, consideration, and delicate touch really spoke volumes to the shadow. "Are you ready Kuroko?" The emerald haired ally asked.

"Yes…" The both moved slowly. It was a kiss lighter than the brush of a butterfly wing. Their bangs swept against each other's foreheads, but the magic of the moment made neither of them care. Shintaro carefully stroked his thumb against Tetsuya's thumb, wanting to push onto something with a little more pressure so they both realized this was actually happening. While everyone else had reacted to well to Kuroko's kisses, it was the poltergeist-like teen that was reacting to Midorima. Everything was gentle and always kept the light-blue male's desires in mind. Only when the gondola started to move and make its way back to the beginning did both green and sky-blue pull away.

"Thank you," Midorima barely moved his lips or spoke in an audible tone so that Akashi and everyone else could not hear.

"You're welcome Midorima-kun," Kuroko blurted out, not recalling they had an audience.

"What? Midorin thanked Tetsu-kun for kissing him? How cute!" Momoi gushed. Midorima's face flushed a deep, magenta pink color, furiously denying he did such a thing. The shooter wanted such actions and words to only be between Kuroko and himself.

"Sorry Murisakibara-kun, you should probably wait until we get off the ride for your kiss." Kuroko suggested.

"Does that mean I get more kisses while Murisakibaracchi waits Kurokocchi?" Kise asked for the blonde was slowly reverting back to his old self.

"No Kise-kun,"

"I am okay with waiting. If Kurochin is willing to kiss me, I want to do whatever he feels would be comfortable. If later is better, then let's do that." The Center player reassured. Thankfully the largest teammate of the Generation of Miracles did not have to wait long. They all exited the ride shortly after that, most of them too happy to say much. Even Kise, while he was not catatonic anymore, he was still giddy about his surprise kiss. Once the basketball team left the amusement park, Murisakibara asked for his kiss again.

"Of course Murisakibara-kun," The shadow agreed. The pale, tiny, teenage boy was surprised when Atsushi wrapped his arms around his lean frame and lifted him up so that they were face-to-face. It was not uncomfortable for the strong, child-like giant had an arm under his thighs and a firm, secure hand on Kuroko's lower back. The sixth member of the team leaned forward and kissed his waiting snack lover, not at all surprised to taste the yummy, salty potato chips on the larger man's lips. Murisakibara agreed that the kiss was nothing but delicious, but he could not help but be curious about something. When the invisible teammate separated their lips to get some air, the violet-colored teen lightly grazed his teeth against the phantom's lower lip. "Ow…"

"Atsushi…." Akashi warned. Murisakibara sighed and gracefully set Kuroko back down on the ground.

"Sorry Akachin, I was curious."

"No snacks after eight at night for a week as punishment."

"Yes Akachin, and I am sorry Kurochin." Tetsuya nodded, accepting the apology. Despite all the ups and downs like a rollercoaster, Kuroko knew that he would remember fondly back on this day. It was definitely a sign of hope for the future.

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I hope you liked the beginning of my first Kuroko no Basuke fanfic. Please review to help me with my writing, for I am actually kind of lost...


	2. Chapter 2 Kuroko's First Day

**Summary**: Kuroko goes through his first day at Teiko Academy. He gets acquainted with new friends, and reunites with the Generation of Miracles. It is going to be a different year than the ones he had in the past, both on and off the court.

**Notes**:  
1. Most of what I base Teiko Academy on is based on my experience with Nick Bolletieri's Tennis Academy, that was part of IMG Academy's group of Sports-Dedeicated Academies.  
2. Kuroko will meet different people from how he met them in Canon Manga / Anime. I hope that doesn't bother you.  
3. There is an OC that is mentioned. But they are not a big part of the plot. I just wanted more female characters in here.  
4. So sorry this chapter is so long! Kuroko has quite a day...

**Warnings**: Again, not much in this chapter. Unless you find Akashi something to warn about...

Plan A sure is popular. I cannot blame you, Kuroko harem is my favorite. I thought of offering the more challenging option, Plan B, but if the majority of you want the easier route I won't complain. I guess there can be hints of Plan B, or they can be friendships then. :)

**Word Count**: 8,005 Words

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To Kuroko, Teiko Academy was a confusing place. There were large, modern building connected by the wide, expansive grounds and multiple, indoor walkways when there was snow. Seven buildings in total, one large, main building that was taller than the rest, that contained the main office, classes, gymnasiums, a library, cafeteria, and kitchen needed to accommodate the school's growing population and the six other buildings surround it like flower petals were the teachers' offices, a living and party area, work out facilities, and the dormitories full of vibrant, young students that would compete against each other in Winter Cup.

It would not be so bad if the seven buildings were all Kuroko had to worry about, but the gardens, jogging trails, ponds, nearby restaurants, and other recreations that the students were encouraged to use felt like a complicated, possessed labyrinth that was trying to consume the small, basketball player. Still, he wanted to go to Teiko Academy and play the most intense games that could ever experience. If not for his own love of the game, then for Shigehiro who had quit basketball in Middle School so a little navigation was probably the least of the freshman's problems.

The first class Tetsuya had that morning was _Human Anatomy and Physiology I_, and thankfully it was on the first, basement floor of the main building rather than the language course on the fourth floor. To his understanding, almost all the Science-related courses were in the basement in order to keep the chemicals and other tools in a cooler environment without spending too much on electricity, air conditioning, and power.

The weak presence had its advantages during the hectic first day of school. The crowds of students at last minute receiving their schedules and many of them roaming the halls to find friends they have not seen since last semester, made it easy for Kuroko to ride the flow of traffic down the stairs (he did not want to cram into an elevator) to get to B103. He pushed the door open, surprised to see that there were already seven students gathered.

Another student was talking to the teacher, so Kuroko turned his attention to the projection screen that the two were standing beside to see that it was open seating. His observant, aqua eyes scanned the room and spotted an empty seat next to a studious boy with long, dark bangs covering his left eye, reading today's lesson from the textbook. Tetsuya settled quietly into his seat in order to not disturb the other male, but when he grabbed his book, Kuroko accidentally set the spine onto his desk too loudly. It alerted the boy sitting next to him. He gasped and covered his mouth to deafen the sound, but the obvious question was still panging loudly in his mind "How did he not notice him and how long had he been there?"

"Sorry for interrupting you," Kuroko said to calm the other down.

"Ah, no I should be the one to apologize." The other freshman said before fixing his stray hairs that ruffled up in excitement. "Forgive me, and sorry for my reaction. My name is Himuro Tatsuya, and I am a part of Yosen Dormitory." He extended his right hand out to Kuroko, who promptly shook it to be polite.

"I'm Kuroko Tetsuya, from Seirin Dormitory." The new acquaintance, Himuro Tetsuya was a very nice person. Rarely did anyone apologize for not noticing him. Many times in his life, people scolded Kuroko for his weak presence despite the trait not being within his control.

"Seirin Dormitory? Be careful of the coach, she loves to kiss children and girls." Odd warning, but Kuroko thought the other first year's strange message was one of those interventions of faith that Midorima spoke of in the past.

"Thank you for the advice. Excuse me for asking, but did you sign up as a basketball player or another occupation path?" Kuroko asked. While he did not care if people if studying to go onto different careers, the apparition-like player knew he made friends best with people who were basketball fanatics like he was.

"I'm a basketball player. I studied in America until my family decided that if I was serious about basketball, then I should go to Teiko Academy. Apparently Teiko is really accommodating to foreign students. Are you a basketball player as well?"

"Yes, I am not sure if that is what I will end up doing but I really like to play." Kuroko answered truthfully. Despite Himuro's gloomy appearance due to his bangs, dark hair, and pale skin, the phantom, sixth member of the Generation of Miracles spent the whole ten minutes before class talking to him. Both teens almost forgot that they were attending a class until the bell screeched. Quickly before the teacher was done taking attendance (thankfully Himuro was there to prevent the teacher from marking his new friend Kuroko absent on his first day), they exchanged phone numbers so that they could call each other to eat out, play basketball, or simply hang out during free time.

"Murisakibara? Murisakibara? Is there a Murisakibara Atsushi here?" The door creaked open to reveal the purple-haired boy. "Are you Murisakibara?"

"Yes, sorry I am late. My mom didn't want to leave my side until the bell rang." He answered before munching on another potato chip.

"Do not worry about it. The first two weeks of school are always confusing for first year students. Also, please know that I do not object to you eating snacks as long as you are quiet." The teacher made clear. The childish basketball player nodded and searched for an empty seat in the classroom. Luckily he noticed the empty seat next to Kuroko (lucky for Murisakibara) and started walking towards the shadow.

"Wow, that guy is really tall. Is he a freshman? He looks two meters tall." Himuro whispered to his new friend from Seirin.

"Actually, when I first met Murisakibara-kun, he was still fifteen centimeters away from being two meters. By the end of Middle School he was just a little over two meters." Kuroko said. The teacher was preparing the PowerPoint and taking attendance as the familiar teammate was drawing closer.

"You know that guy?"

"Yes, he was a former member of my basketball team." Murisakibara took his desired chair next to the teal teen, ruffling up his perfectly combed hair. "Please do not do that."

"Uh? But Kurochin, you look cute with messy hair." Atsushi smiled before giving the top of Kuroko's head a swift peck. "See, I was gentle this time. No teeth," Himuro flushed a dark red.

"Is Murisakibara your boyfriend Kuroko?"

"Actually, Kurochin has four other boyfriends and a girlfriend besides me." Murisakibara clarified but he made sure to say it in a low whisper because class was starting.

"What?" Tatsuya yelled, forcing all eyes on him. "I mean, I never knew the Hyoid Bone was not attached to any other bone in the body. It's only support is a network of muscles and ligaments. Speech mechanics and physiology is fascinating!" The genius made up to cover up his blunder.

"Well, thank you for your enthusiasm but please try to contain yourself."

"Yes sensei," Himuro bowed. When he made sure that the lesson continued on and that no one was paying attention to him, he asked the Seirin student "Is your boyfriend telling the truth?"

"He is not my boyfriend and I do not have multiple partners." Tetsuya said his own opinion. Murisakibara frowned.

"But Kurochin, you kissed all of us at the Ferris wheel and said you cared for us. So that makes you our boyfriend. Akachin, Minechin, Midochin, Kisechin, Sacchin, and I are all dating you."

"We never go on dates." Himuro did not know what to believe. It seemed like a couple quarreling to him.

"But we did. All of us went to Asakusa Hanayashiki and you kissed all of us at the Ferris wheel. We just didn't date over the summer because we live too far away." Murisakibara reasoned before sneaking another chip. "Who is sitting next to you asking these questions? Is he a new boyfriend?" Tatsuya was too embarrassed to say anything. Usually he was not the type to become flustered easily, but the pair's bluntness was catching him off guard. Plus, now armed with the knowledge of Kuroko's multiple partners, he had to admit… the boy was pretty cute and he would not mind a date to get to know him.

"No, but we have similar views on basketball. He seems like an intelligent and tenacious person. I cannot wait to play against him." Kuroko said plainly. Himuro did not want to overheat from embarrassment and possible relationships so he turned his attention to the lecture.

"Ah, sounds like an annoying person, but I'll share my snacks with him if Kurochin likes him."

There was not much that happened after that. When everyone was done jotting down the notes, the teacher assigned them to read two sections in their textbook. Not two minutes later into reading, class was dismissed and it was time for Kuroko to get to his next class which was _Basic First Aid Training and Response_. Since it was on the same level, it did not take an enormous amount of time for Tetsuya to slip inside. There were several large, round tables with an average size, human dummy with no limbs lying in the middle. All the tables had six chairs surrounding it; everyone had to work in groups for there was not enough specialized dummies for every, individual student.

"Ah! Ghost!" The Instructor cried out.

"No sensei, my name is Kuroko Tetsuya. I am from Seirin Dormitory and signed up for this class." The sneaky teenager calmly explained.

"Oh… yes, I think I saw your name on the Attendance sheet. You're one of the basketball students with a scholarship here. You must be one of the Generation of Miracles… hahaha. I'll make sure to mark you here so that I won't forget." Kuroko nodded and took a seat. It did not take too long for the class to fill up because it was by the elevator. So many unfamiliar faces and based on most of their body types, the people attending this class were probably studying to be Emergency Aid Responders, Coaches, or Managers (then again, Kuroko's guns were not impressive either).

"Furihata, you're seriously tired already on your first day?" A boy mocked his friend. His strong eyes and short hair made him appear manly and strong for a first year student. "If you want to be a point guard, you're going to have to build up your stamina."

The shorter of the two friends, Furihata groaned. "Talk big now, but I am the one who went down six flights of stairs! Um… Koichi, where is Fukuda?"

"I thought he was with you in English?"

"He was! I swear he was right behind me…" Furihata said with concern. The school was still overcrowded with curious parents so the freshmen boys hoped their friend was not trampled by oblivious, overzealous sea of parents. As if to alleviate his friends' worries, Hiroshi Fukuda dashed into the room red-faced and sweating. "Hey, there you are! Okay, let's go sit somewhere."

The three scanned the room and selected on Kuroko's table. "That one is free!"

All of them took a seat at the group table, but Hiroshi could not pull his chair out.

"Why is this chair so heavy?" Fukuda grunted. His stray strands of hair were glistening with sweat due to over-exertion.

"I'm sorry, but I am sitting here. If you would like, I could move." Kuroko announced. All three friends jumped in fright.

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" Hiroshi apologized and bowed.

"How long were you there?" Furihata asked nervously.

"I was here the whole time." The unnoticeable male told them. They were amazed.

"Wow, you are a real life ninja." Kawahara said in amazement. Hiroshi took the seat next to Kuroko so that Kuroko sat between him and Furihata. After the other boys introduced themselves to the misdirection specialist, they immediately bonded over basketball. Favorite players in the professional and college leagues, sneaky strategies, smartest coaches, and anything else they could think of. The four teenagers were psyched when they found out that they were all staying in the same dormitory and decided on their first day that they must celebrate this new friendship by playing basketball video games all night long (even some of the ones with questionable ethics due to their decision to not pay the college players whose images they stole). However, before they could agree to a time, Hiroshi, Furihata, and Koichi got distracted by the entrance of a petite, busty, cheerful, young lady. Mouths dropped; she was gorgeous.

"Tetsu-kun, I missed you!" She squealed and rushed to the teal-haired boy. She held him tight; her breasts pressing against the side of Kuroko's face and shoulders. "Excuse me, but could you switch seats with me so that I can sit next to my boyfriend. I haven't seen him since last semester and I really missed him." Momoi begged while bouncing in anticipation. Her voluptuous assets were jiggling with every hop.

"Sure…" Hiroshi gulped before moving to the next empty chair so that he sat beside Momoi. "You are really Kuroko's girlfriend?" She nodded.

"I'm Tetsu-kun's only girlfriend, but my Tetsu-kun is so popular that he also has five boyfriends. I feel so special being the only girl he likes." The pink-haired girl gushed. "Also, Tetsu-kun kissed me first. I was the envy of those silly Generation of Miracles for weeks. Dai-chan didn't even want to play basketball with me for three days."

"Eh? Kuroko is dating the Generation of Miracles?" Furihata gasped.

"I would not consider it dating, but apparently everyone else does." The shadow said with no emotion.

"Actually, Tetsu-kun is one of the Generation of Miracles. He plays a unique type of basketball play that I cannot predict, all due to his hard work and determination. It is why the others and I fell in love with Tetsu-kun. He's just a shy gentleman when he says he isn't dating any of us." Momoi explained.

"Generation of Miracles? What is that?" A rough voice interrupted. Wild red and black hair, intimidating eyebrows, and a large, muscular frame of the stranger surprised the group. Satsuki flashed a knowing grin.

"You'll know soon enough Kagami Taiga, basketball player, and Seirin Dormitory first year." She beamed at his horrified and frightened reaction.

"You know me?" Kagami asked. He did not remember meeting this girl.

"Momoi-san knows everyone's stats in the entire school. She was Teiko Middle School's basketball team manager, and is an excellent data collector and analyzer due to her extreme intelligence. I think she loves basketball more than most of the players I know." Kuroko added.

"Tetsu-kun, you're making me blush! But yes, I have information on all of you. Fukuda Hiroshi, Koichi Satoshi, and Furihata Kouki, all of your skills, strengths, weaknesses, and even the future progress you'll make is all mine. So don't underestimate Touou Dormitory!" She chirped. The familiar ring of the bell signaled the students to take to their seats as the instructor began calling out people's names to mark them present that day (he made sure to mark Kuroko). Most of the lesson after that was about the basics of an Emergency kit, and how to properly use the materials inside. While most of the students were paying attention to the lesson, Kuroko was fascinated by Kagami Taiga.

He knew that he saw that name somewhere before. The Japanese-American mixed teen reminded the ghostly, basketball player of Aomine before their third year at Teiko Middle School. He wondered if the other Seirin first year liked the sport as Aomine did those days… just as Tetsuya was about to ask, the class ended and Kagami swiftly left as if his life depended on it. Kuroko noted that they boy was not the studious type.

"Bye Tetsu-kun!" Momoi cooed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. It was a bit harsher than what the sky-blue, young man would have wanted but he knew she was probably in a hurry.

Thankfully the invisible member of the infamous basketball team had another class in the basement, which was _Sociology I_. However, he wanted to turn around as soon as he saw who was there waiting for him. Kise and Midorima were sitting at the same table, with an empty seat between them as they talked (Kise talked while Midorima did his best to ignore him). The shadow did not realize that the school really wanted the ex-teammates to associate frequently with each other despite being in different dorms. Perhaps it was destiny that made the Generation of Miracles flock together. He sighed and knew it was inevitable that either of them would recognize him and follow. Kuroko promptly took the chair that they reserved for him and set his book bag on the desk.

"Ha! Momoicchi was right! We would have Sociology with Kurokocchi on Monday." Kise grinned and pulled the shorter teen into a tight embrace. He snuggled his face against the soft, wispy hairs, relishing the feeling of Kuroko against him again.

"Of course Momoi is right. She would not be our manager if she was not meticulous and accessed the most accurate information." Midorima rolled his eyes at the blonde hogging Kuroko. "By the way Kuroko, how was your summer?"

"I mostly spent it practicing. I assume you were training as well Midorima-kun?" Tetsuya countered. The green haired man nodded.

"Oh Kurokocchi, before I forget!" Kise smiled before kissing Kuroko on his slim nose. "Thanks for the surprise on the Ferris wheel. I wanted to return the favor. By the way, are you free on Sunday? We can grab a vanilla shake together. Midorimacchi can even tag along if he wants."

"The only reason that I would do that would be to make sure you do not violate Kuroko's wishes. You can be quite selfish." Shintaro said with a deadly glare that communicated "I don't trust you."

"I would never hurt Kurokocchi," Kise sounded wounded by the harsh words and accusation.

"But you can be selfish Kise-kun," Midorima hid a tiny smirk from Kuroko's words while he adjusted his glasses. Ryouta cried crocodile tears and held the ghostly, ex-teammate against his solid chest. "I would like to have an outing with Kise-kun and Midorima-kun this weekend if I can. However, before that happens, can Kise-kun let go of me before class starts? While I like the warmth, I do not think it is appropriate for us to be hugging like this. I am almost on your lap."

The fashion model sighed and with a heavy pout he let go of his tiny boyfriend. The only person willing to sit across from the eccentric trio of yellow, sky-blue, and green was a young, dark-skinned woman with pitch-black hair. She introduced herself as Antonia Garcia. Comedy ensued when the Mexican-Japanese, young lady noticed Kuroko there, but at least she was polite about the other's weak presence.

When the bell signaled for everyone to go to their next class, Kise scrambled out quickly to outrun his rabid fans, causing Kuroko to land into Midorima's lap. Midorima sighed. The shooting guard mumbled something about the blonde being an inconsiderate idiot and brought the phantom to his feet. But the taller, basketball prodigy surprised Tetsuya, drawing his right hand up to his lips and kissing every digit.

"Midorima-kun?"

"Your calluses are rougher and thicker in texture. You've really stuck to a disciplined and strict training regimen. It is one of your great qualities, that almost annoying tenacity. Don't disappoint me when your team plays Shuutoku." Midorima commented. "I will not go easy on you. I have training and Oha-Asa on my side so don't get careless."

"I would not like it any other way." Kuroko breathed out rather than spoke.

"Good," Both were a little disappointed when the Shuutoku rival released the Seirin member's hand, but they were too private, shy, and poised to hold hands while walking down the hallway.

As soon as Midorima left Kuroko, a powerful, tan arm wrapped around his waist and the phantom heard the words "Tetsu, Satsuki is waiting for us by the garden near Touou dorm. We had a free period before this, so after a light jog we got lunch." Kuroko nodded and followed closely behind Aomine. It was easy to do for the tall, almost unstoppable basketball player had a charisma that made people want to not stand in his way. As the light and shadow passed through Touou Dormitory, Kuroko swore that they walked past a familiar face. An older male with messy, black hair, glasses, and a wide grin, and the sixth man for some reason thought of a Kansai dialect. Knowing that this would not be his last time roaming the corridors of Touou, he brushed it off. Despite not having any hesitation to point out his friends flaws, Kuroko missed being with everyone one of them, especially Aomine.

Daiki, Tetsuya, and Satsuki sat under a tree full of matured flowers. The cherry blossom flowers that represented spring, but also loyalty and integrity. It would be quite fitting to share this scenery with the two childhood friends. Aomine and Momoi had a friendship so strong in its foundation, that Kuroko was frightened to guess what made the pink-haired girl so scared that there would be something that could cause it to crumble.

Before he discovered both Aomine and Momoi had feelings for him, he could not help but feel a bit envious of their relationship. No formalities and their thoughts just rolled off their tongues when they were together. When they kept inviting him to participate in their outings, it made the shadow happy. To be the person they allowed into their special world, loved him with a fierce passion just as strong as their solid friendship and he returned it with full force. His weak presence did not afford him many friends so when Satsuki and Daiki thought he was important enough to add to these moments, despite the disagreements, Kuroko loved every minute with the two and was eternally grateful for this gift.

"Hey Tetsu, eat your takoyaki before it gets cold. We specifically got you the small lunch so that food doesn't go to waste." Aomine scolded. "You can stare at the flowers later." Kuroko pleasantly sighed and stretched out so that he could kiss the side of Aomine's chin.

"Thank you for the reminder." The invisible man whispered before eating.

"Aw, Dai-chan is so concerned about our Tetsu-kun," Momoi mused.

"Of course I am, he's so skinny that he cannot afford to miss a meal." The dark-skinned, ex-teammate worried as he stroked Kuroko's hair. He watched the phantom eat with pure content spread across his face. "He is my shadow and I am the light. At first, we look like two opposites but on the court, we are always thinking the exact same time." The shorter male twitched but continued eating as it nothing happened. That statement used to be true, but the Aomine that was with him at this moment was not the Aomine he was always in sync with. The biggest thing they had in common, basketball, was drifting them apart now.

Good things happen at a swift pace. Momoi and Aomine had to race back inside for class. Shortly after that the ghostly teen got filled and decided to go on a small walk. This time was his scheduled free period, and he did not want to be sick because he did not wait for his stomach to settle. The passing specialist was so busy making sure that he did not get lost in the maze-like grounds that he bumped into someone while reading his map.

"Excuse me,"

"No, actually I was hoping to see you again Kuroko Tetsuya." Kuroko looked up to see the person he spotted at Touou. "Do you remember me? I'm the guy who also likes basketball at the LBGTQIA+ Community meeting in Tokyo." The apparition-like teen nodded. Imayoshi Shoichi was going to be a senior at Touou Academy after the break and he confided in the sneaky man about his problems with the people he loves. It was nice to talk to Imayoshi about those matters because the elder, basketball fan was also polyamorous, pan-romantic, pansexual, and cisgender (a hard combination to find).

Senior and freshman walked aimlessly around the garden; the phantom was not worried about the time or getting lost for he knew the older male was meticulous and calculated. He knew that Imayoshi planned everything about this meeting, the walk they would take, and controlled the flow of the conversation. Knowing that, Kuroko knew he should be scared or cautious, but he felt quite the opposite about the manipulative man (perhaps due to Akashi's influence these kinds of people did not bother him). The invisible member of the Generation of Miracles admired Shoichi's intelligence and how he was able to lull calm into most people despite his usually devious intentions. But really, he could not think of many things the elder man would want with him. There was nothing to gain from physically harming him, and any psychological attack was rather useless as well. Still, despite the concern for a younger person feeling genuine, Kuroko knew that Imayoshi probably had something to ask of him.

"Imayoshi-sempai, thank you for listening to me." Kuroko said.

"It is no bother to me Kuroko-kun. I enjoy helping a younger person who is dealing with the same problems as I am."

"I do not know what you require of me Imayoshi-sempai, but I am not naïve enough to think a good deed from you is free. But despite knowing that, you have been a great help." Imayoshi smirked.

"Hahaha, no, I did not expect you to either. Honestly, I wanted to know more about you because you're very interesting. I can see why the Generation of Miracles are drawn to you, a person they can call their equal and a sixth person of their elite group. So I decided to get to know you. If you were someone that I wanted, then I'd tell you. If you rejected me, then no harm will come of it. I wouldn't want to do anything knowing that you're dating Akashi Seiijuro." Imayoshi leaned over, slowly backing Kuroko up against a tree. "I wouldn't want your boyfriend's emperor-sized ego to deflate as I pleasure his most precious teammate better than he ever could right in front of him."

"Imayoshi-sempai, what have you decided about me?" Naturally curious.

"I will confess right now, I am quite fascinated with you Kuroko Tetsuya." Sly as always, Shoichi snuck a hand into Tetsuya's pocket. Nimble fingers quickly retrieved the phantom's cellphone, adding in his name and phone number into the contact list. "Call if you ever want to see me. Whether it is for basketball, advice, or… well, I'll show you when we get there."

"Okay, I'll call if I want to ask you anything." Kuroko said with a deadpan stare.

"Hm… it is not nearly as fun teasing you when you do that Kuroko. Can't I get at least some reaction? You didn't even flinch when my hand was in your trousers!" Kuroko shrugged. Imayoshi laughed at the continued lack of reaction. "I certainly cannot complain that you are too easy. You should probably go back now. Class will begin soon. What do you have after this?"

"_Home Room_, apparently it's a scheduled study time while free period is considered time for a light work out."

"Well, we did a lot of walking so I guess you can say that you filled your quota. I'll walk you to your home room. It would not be polite of a sempai to just leave his kouhai lost in the gardens, wouldn't it?" Imayoshi said, his slanted, silvery eyes staring intensely at Kuroko's smaller frame.

"I do not think that I could navigate through the grounds and Touou Dormitory within the time I have left."

With five minutes to spare, the sixth member of the legendary, Teiko Middle School team was in his home room and saw Furihata, Fukuda, Kawahara, and Kagami sitting together. Kuroko learned that the freshmen boys' videogame party began at seven so that they could shower, eat, and rest and they invited Kagami and some of the second year students Hyuuga, Mitobe, Kiyoshi, Izuki, and Tsuchida that were also basketball players.

"I hope we won't be inconveniencing a lot of people who might want to use the public, living room." Kuroko thought out loud.

"Don't worry about that Kuroko. There was a sheet by the open room and people could sign up to get time to spend there or party. We signed up for seven to midnight, and it was free. I think a lot of other students want to go outside because the weather is warming up." Fukuda reassured.

"Just don't get too disappointed if you don't have the energy to stay up late. Coach is brutal." Kagami smiled.

"You know Seirin Dormitory's coach?" Kuroko asked.

"Yeah, she was my mentor in the United States. About two years ago she got an offer from Teiko Academy to be the coach of the new dorm they were building. Last year it was completed so she immediately moved to Japan and took the job. She really likes teaching people how to play basketball." Taiga said nonchalantly before taking a drink from his water bottle.

"She's a former pro, so I'm really excited to see what she'll teach us. I can't wait to play!" Kawahara cheered. Immediately he got asked to be quiet by the students that were actually studying. "Sorry,"

"So… Kuroko, you are a considered one of the Generation of Miracles? Furihata explained to be who you guys were. You're supposedly really good at basketball, so you better not disappoint me on the court. I want to play strong players; otherwise it is no fun to win without a challenge." Kuroko smiled.

"I do not play basketball like most people, so that may disappoint you. But as a shadow, I will do my best to magnify the intensity of everyone's light." The four basketball freshmen were confused but said nothing about the profound statement. With the amount of homework looming over their heads, all of them agreed to get to work. Whenever someone interrupted the silence because they were stumped on something, whoever knew the answer would try to think of an analogy with basketball to the point it became a game. Kuroko could not stop himself from the feelings of joy bubbling inside him, that it almost hurt and yet Kuroko did not want it to stop. He loved every minute of it. Seirin really was the best choice for him.

Kuroko's last class before practice was _English I_. Despite not liking elevators (due to being crammed into the corner every time he went on one), he knew that his Home Room was three floors away and on the other side of the building. The passing specialist was relieved to know that the elevators in the school were much faster than what he was used to. Even with the long walk, Kuroko was able to get there in time. When he saw Himuro talking to another boy at the group table with four chairs, he was happy to know that there was a familiar face that wasn't the Generation of Miracles. Before Kuroko could surprise them, the teen beside Kuroko's acquaintance noticed him and flashed a knowing smirk.

"Kuroko Tetsuya, we're over here!" The stranger yelled out. Kuroko nodded and headed towards them, sitting next to Himuro and across from the boy that called for him. Mid-length, sleek, black hair, slanted, silvery-blue eyes, and a face that expressed immaturity to conceal his actual skill made the phantom remember a match last year. The boy was able to see him even when he used misdirection. Akashi had to switch him out with Kise because they did not know how to counter Takao Kazunari's Hawk-Eye abilities. "Do you remember me?" The tone of that voice was almost sensual. Kuroko could feel his insides shiver.

"Takao told me about you and your team. The Generation of Miracles is quite an impressive title Kuroko." Himuro said, his face more fixed in an unfamiliar poker face than before. It was a face that dared Tetsuya to play a game against him, and Kuroko could feel his blood pumping harder and his legs twitching in anticipation. He really wanted to play with his friends.

"Yeah, but don't try to run away when we eventually meet. Don't underestimate Shuutoku Dormitory Tet-chan, for I can see you. Honestly, the way you play basketball gets on my nerves…" Takao boasted before leaning in until his face was a few inches away from touching Kuroko's face. The serious look suddenly became one of adoration. "But honestly, what I remember most about you was your adorable face!" Takao grinned and put a hand on Kuroko's cheek, stroking it lightly and twisting the fluffy, soft hair around his index finger. "And you're just as soft as you look-" Kazunari jumped away and back into his seat when a flash of red and a fancy, fountain pen attempted to stab him.

"Hm… you have improved your already impressive reflexes Takao Kazunari. But I will not forgive you again if you touch Tetsuya without his permission. If you do not respect my boyfriend's body autonomy, I will not hesitate to destroy you. Do not believe me at your own risk, but know one thing about me: my word is absolute." Akashi said before withdrawing the pen out of the table. Because of its fragile structure, the ink spilled out, subconsciously sending images in Takao's mind of the flow of blood from a fresh and deep wound. Once the Captain of the Generation of Miracles discarded the broken object, he returned to wipe up the mess with the handkerchief. Himuro and Takao raised an eyebrow at Akashi, wondering why he displayed that much rudeness and violence to a stranger.

"Akashi-kun, how are you?"

"I had a very busy summer, and my only moments of peace were when Shintaro would visit for a game of Shogi. I never had a scheduled break, so I unfortunately couldn't visit you. I really missed you Tetsuya," Akashi said softly while holding Kuroko's hand. Himuro wondered why a gentle person like Kuroko would date someone like Akashi, but dismissed it because it was not of his concerns. Takao grinned. He had met Midorima earlier when they were moving into the dorms and teased him, prying him for information on his girlfriend since he kept checking his phone. When the other went to the bathroom, Takao peaked into the boy's journal to see his rambles of his boyfriend Kuroko Tetsuya, and the people he willingly shared the boy with because they were good friends. So this was Akashi Seiijuro… "Have you been well Tetsuya? I know we send texts, but I never feel that is as desirable as the flesh."

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't visit you Akashi-kun. You always kept saying that you were busy with work."

"It is no problem Tetsuya. Now come here," Kuroko leaned his head against the Rakuzan student.

"Could you please be polite to Himuro-kun and Takao-kun? Takao-kun is nice to be around because he can see me, and Himuro-kun is a good person."

"Tetsuya… I cannot promise not harming people who might hurt you. Friends do not show such blatant disrespect. They are not your boyfriend, so they shouldn't feel as if they can touch you without any words. While you willing give permission to Atsushi, Daiki, Momoi, Ryouta, Shintaro, and I, that doesn't mean that you give it to other people. You need to be respected and I will remind people of that." Seiijuro remained firm. When the Captain explained it like that, Kuroko could not help but appreciate the concern.

English had so much tension. The teacher wanted to scold the ruby and aquamarine teens for inappropriate displays of affection, but the stern stare from Akashi's eyes silenced the man before he could utter a word. Kuroko decided to lighten the mood; in between reading the grammar rules and basic, necessary, English words, he would ask Himuro and Takao about their day. Takao gave both Himuro and Kuroko his phone number, the three of them almost forgetting Akashi's ominous presence. Seiijuro knew English fairly well due to his father's business connections (it was a necessity in his house), so he spent most of the time watching Tetsuya and stroking the teal boy's hair; he did not mind Tetsuya making friends as long as the Rakuzan student made his stance clear. If anyone harms or touches Kuroko in any manner that displeases the boy, they would have to deal with the red head.

"By the way Tetsuya," Akashi interrupted. "Ryouta proposed to me during lunch that we all go out on Sunday together. We're thinking of going to the zoo, to see the new animals from the Philippines that were recently transferred here. You are free to invite your friends to come along with us." The scary teen said looking at Kuroko's new friends.

"What about the ones you haven't met?"

"Who would you want to invite besides these two?" Takao rolled his eyes at Akashi's tone. The Captain of the Generation of Miracles was still as controlling as ever.

"Kagami-kun, Fukuda-kun, Furihata-kun, and Kawahara-kun would probably like to come." Kuroko listed off. Takao held his laughter behind his hands at the sight of the veins that were appearing much more visible on Akashi's forehead, but Himuro kept his amusement hidden.

"Anyone else?"

"There is an older person, a third year at this Academy staying in Touou Dormitory, Imayoshi-san. We met over the summer. We go to the same LBGTQIA+ Community meetings in Tokyo." The ghostly, pale basketball player remembered.

"I do not want any older people on this trip. They should be studying for college exams, not fraternizing with freshmen. Also, that disgusting Hanamiya Makoto said something once about Imayoshi Shoichi. He described his as the worst kind of person. While I know not to trust such a lowly person's advice, Makoto appeared to be truthful when he was saying that." Seiijuro commented.

"So Tet-chan, what do you want to see first at the zoo?" Takao said trying to make things less uncomfortable.

"The wolves are usually my favorite. They have a strong, pack structure that reminds me of a nice family." Kuroko answered.

"They are pretty interesting. I like the elephants personally. I like how they appear kind, despite their big size and their history of interacting with humans. What is your favorite animal Tatsu-chan?"

"I think giraffes are lovely creatures. They always looked poised and graceful."

"What about you Akashi-kun? Which animal do you want to see the most?" Kuroko asked his authoritative boyfriend.

"I do not need to go to the zoo to see the animal that I am most interested in. Humans are everywhere. But watching humans at zoos can be fun. You see the worst in humanity. Pointing, staring, mocking, humans do these things and act as if this is all for those beautiful animals' welfare. Humans are strange and terrifying, because of their desire to harm and oppress others for amusement, and do everything in their power to deny or excuse these actions. It is for the animals' welfare, to gather knowledge about the world around us, or protect these animals from extinction, but zoos have not afford us much knowledge like observations of these creatures in their natural habitat have accomplished and their efforts to boost populations rarely work. So why do humans like zoos despite how useless they are? Simple, oppression is the most marketable thing on this planet because it taps into humans' desire to be foul to everything around them. Though, I really cannot say it bothers me that much because it is not the exploitation of humans." Akashi's eyes were glowing. Kuroko could always count on the Captain to make everything tense.

"But couldn't the same thing be said about tourists and their relationship with the locals?" Himuro wondered.

"Also strip clubs, for seven out of ten people when asked why they went or frequented strip clubs gave answers similar to reasons to why slave owners liked slavery and having sex with slave women. They liked the power and control over another human being, rather than derive any pleasure sexually from the experience." Takao added.

"… Takao-kun, how do you know that information?" Kuroko asked bluntly. Akashi smiled.

"Tetsuya, you attract very intelligent people… perhaps I should trust your judgment more, even though you can be too trusting." Kuroko hid a pleased smile against Akashi's neck, not realizing Himuro and Takao stared enviously at the cute act and wishing to be in Akashi's position.

Finally getting to practice on the court made Kuroko shudder in excitement and he rushed inside Seirin's area, seeing a blonde woman in her thirties, a second year girl with short hair, a second year boy that resembled a happy kitty, and Antonia Garcia, the girl that was in his Sociology class. The blonde and the second year girl were talking about the schedule for today, making the phantom feel even more joy about practice. Since everyone was still in the getting dressed, Kuroko decided to do some stretches on the floor. The blonde woman was scanning the room, making sure that everything was in place when she absent-mindedly tripped over the shadow.

"Gyah!" She yelled and turned to see Kuroko trying to touch his toes. "How long were you there?" Her American accent was much more apparent when she was surprised compared to when she was speaking with the other students moments ago.

"I was here the whole time."

"Really? Such sneakiness! Are you a basketball player? You are so cute!" She gushed. Recalling Tatsuya's words, Kuroko used his misdirection to shuffle behind the older woman. "Huh? Where did you go?"

"I am behind you."

"Ah! You are amazing at being unnoticed. What is your name?"

"My name is Kuroko Tetsuya." Kuroko introduced.

"I think I remember that name. Are you the one that has a scholarship? You must be one of the Generation of Miracles then." She realized.

"Yes,"

"It is a pleasure to meet you then Kuroko. The name is Garcia, Alexandra, please just call me Alex. I feel so old when students call me by my last name. Oh, I'm also the coach of Seirin Dormitory." They shook hands. "The cute, Japanese girl who is my assistant coach is Riko Aida, our Emergency Responder is Koganei Shinji, and our Nutrition and Diet Expert is Garcia, Antonia, who is my niece. While the other students at Seirin will help out in preparing training menus and cheer for you guys at the games, these three will be the ones that you will interact with the most. Please listen to their advice and you'll undoubtedly improve!" The bubbly woman clapped him cheerfully on the back and went back next to Riko.

It was a bit unnerving when all the players gathered around and Riko Aida ordered them to be shirtless. Kuroko scared the girl a bit when she forgot to examine him, but after she wrote down everyone's stats and where they needed improvement, the assistant coach ordered a game of first years against second and third years.

Team one was Hyuuga, Kiyoshi, Mitobe, Izuki, and Tsuchida, and team two was Kagami, Kuroko, Furihata, Kawahara, and Fukuda. Surprisingly, the freshmen team was able to match evenly with the other team. Every time Hyuuga scored a three pointer, of Kiyoshi dunked the ball, Kagami would dunk and Furihata would get a shot in.

"Alex-sensei, Kagami is a fantastic player just as his physical stats predicted. But the other freshmen are disappointing." The blonde woman laughed at Riko's words and pointed to the court.

"Are you sure? You really need to pay attention to that Kuroko boy. What he is doing is much more impressive." Aida blinked. Kuroko? She forgot that he was playing.

The short-haired girl focused on him, watching his movements. The phantom-like teen was just passing the ball at first to her, until she realized the genius behind it. He was using a technique called misdirection, taking advantage of his weak presence and making others forget he is in the game. While people were not paying attention, Kuroko used his observations skills to quickly intersect the ball and pass it to his teammates. It was brilliant. He would make eye contact with his teammates to make sure they were able to catch the ball without being aware of what he was doing. Kagami would be in mid-run, when suddenly he would have the ball and slam it into the net. Furihata would stand nervously; only to be amazed he had the ball and shoots it in to the best of his abilities. Same with the other players, Fukuda and Kawahara, they were only playing as well as perceived before all because of Kuroko's abilities to steal the ball and pass it to them.

"Who is he?" She gasped.

"The phantom, sixth member of the Generation of Miracles, and now he'll soon be a regular of the basketball team." Alex grinned.

"Soon? Oh, you mean we still have to have them do _that_ tomorrow morning." Riko smirked.

"Of course! It has become a tradition. Besides, didn't it get you a handsome boyfriend Riko?" The Japanese girl blushed.

Once all four quarters were up, everyone was amazed to find that team two had won the match 78-76. Kagami cheered and all the freshmen high-fived each other.

"Don't gloat Kagami, there is still tonight." Hyuuga smiled, remembering the video game night as planned.

"Yes Captain, we didn't forget. Just remember to not underestimate us!" Taiga exclaimed. Alexandra and Antonia chuckled at his antics; there was no difference compared to how he acted in the United States. "Hey Kuroko, you did well. Want to grab a bite to eat before we head back to our dorm?"

"Our dorm?"

"Duh Kuroko, we're roommates. You didn't know?" So that was where he saw the tall teen's name. His mother and father dropped him off early in the morning, and he never got to meet the person sharing a dorm room with him, only the name.

"I didn't know because I came before I got a chance to see you. As for food, I'm willing to eat anything as long as I have a vanilla shake."

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Whoa... I will try to make chapters shorter next time. But I think you know what you guys will look forward to in the next chapter. *wink* Remember the roof scene? Except of course, a little altered like everything else in this fanfic.


	3. Chapter 3 Seirin's Declaration

**Summary:** Seirin makes their declaration known, despite the unfortunate consequences they might not have foreseen. Also, Kuroko gets asked out on a date!

**Notes:**  
1. Again, some Canon events were twisted in order to fit this universe. Sorry if that bothers you!  
2. We aren't following all of Kuroko's day because... that would probably get too boring and repetitive. Also, I wanted to make sure this chapter was short enough so that people didn't get too tired of reading it.  
3. We're adding more ships to this fanfic. A nice reviewer suggested Nijimura/Kuroko, so I'm going to add that somewhere. Also, I really want to have some Kiyoshi/Kuroko in a brotherly love kind of way (Kiyoshi being there to give him advice and allow him to be silly kind of fluff).

**Warnings**: Uh... talking about some naughty stuff? But barely touching on it. I promise there will be some action... eventually...

I am glad you are enjoying this fanfic so far, and thank you for your wonderful ideas. I am lost when it comes to Kuroko no Basuke, so any help is great!

**Word Count**: 5,848 Words

* * *

Staying up late playing games was not the best idea for the Seirin first years. It was not even ten minutes after five in the morning before Kuroko was woken up by incessant knocking on the door. The phantom stared at Kagami's sleeping form, wishing he was in the same situation but knew that this could possibly be an emergency. The transparent teen trudged out of bed and to the door, greeted by the assistant coach and the other first year basketball students. The group of four had their index fingers against their lips, telling the shadow to remain as quiet as possible. Kuroko rubbed his sleepy eyes. Even while the teal male was in a state of half-asleep, half-awake, Kuroko could hear the muffled snickering everyone was expressing over his obnoxious bed-head.

"Everyone, what are you doing here?" The sixth man asked, now that was a tiny bit more alert.

"Kuroko, hurry up because we're going to test whether or not you freshmen are worthy of the Seirin basketball team. Everyone did it last year and now you have to as well. Everyone else is waiting downstairs in the main office for us. Get dressed because we won't have time to do so before class." Riko ordered. "We'll get Kagami ready. Worry about yourself." Kuroko nodded.

The invisible player lazily snatched his uniform and rushed to his best ability to the restroom he shared with Taiga. He splashed some icy water into his sleepy face, the crisp liquid reenergizing him. It was easy for Kuroko to put on his clothes and smooth his hair after that. When he exited the bathroom, he saw Fukuda and Kawahara wrestling to hoist up Kagami's trousers and Riko and Furihata were fixing his button-up shirt.

"Hurry everyone!" She hissed when Hiroshi refused to zip the sleeping man's pants. Eventually all six of them were in the corridor, the original four that woke up Kuroko taking the stairs while Kuroko dragged a heavy Kagami into the elevator. He pressed for level one so he could lug the resting tiger into the main building's office as Riko commanded. The phantom basketball player did not know why one of his coaches was asking for such an odd request at a rather unreasonable time from the aquamarine boy and Kagami, but if this act solidified his placement on the team then Kuroko would not complain too much.

"Fuck, my head feels like it collided with a truck! Hey… where are my sheets? This isn't my room! Why am I so dusty?" Kagami growled. The hotheaded teen spotted his roommate standing above him and glared at the expressionless phantom. "Kuroko, you better explain yourself!"

"I'm sorry Kagami-kun, but you're too heavy." The blank stare did nothing to help the Seirin ace determine what was going on. Both of them got off the elevator; Taiga was still pissed at the state he was in without an explanation.

"Is someone going to tell me what's going on?" Kagami sighed when they ran into Aida and the other freshmen.

"Please keep running." Riko demanded before sprinting herself. Everyone followed her down the hall, surprised to see several industrial-sized refrigerators on flatbeds being pushed by the second years. The second year girl pulled out a lanyard necklace with several keys hanging from it like a pendant. Luck was on the young woman's side for the first one she chose unlocked the main office. She pushed the door open and ushered everyone inside. "Come on! Otherwise we might not get everyone!" She huffed. Once everyone was inside, the manic-appearing coach closed all the windows by locking them shut and drawing down the privacy blinders. After Riko locked the door, the assistant coach ordered the pen to pile the fridges in front of the door. "Shit, it is already six. Koganei, get on the computer quick and update the school's online News page. Make sure to make the title _Seirin's Declarations_."

"Right," the Medical Aid said before signing into the computer.

"Now will you tell us what is going on?" Kagami groaned.

"Hold on Kagami. Mitobe, Izuki, set up the camera and microphone from my dad's office and Koganei, make sure to help them so that it is recorded and on the site." Aida ordered. All of the second years were frantic, yet they seemed happy about what was to come. "So, everyone must be wondering what we're doing. Simple, we're testing whether you have the bravery to join this club. You will go on camera, and announce on the school's announcements that you are a part of Seirin's basketball team, and if we lose a game, you'll strip naked and confess your feelings to the person you love!"

"What?" Furihata blushed.

"… Maybe I should have gone to another private school." Koichi mumbled.

"Well, that certainly is a test of bravery…" Fukuda blurted out. Kagami rolled his eyes.

"Is this really what you woke us up for? Fine, hurry up so I can get on with it." She smiled. It took another fifteen minutes of preparations to get everything running, but everyone was shocked to hear a knock on the door. They froze.

"Hello?" It was Coach Araki of Yosen Dormitory.

"Crap, granny is here already and we still need fifteen minutes until the morning announcements usually start. Urgh!" Riko panicked.

"Granny? Riko, is that you? How many times do I have to tell you that I am not old?" The elder woman fumed. Honestly, what was the young woman doing in the office at this time? She pounded on the door, annoyed that no one came to open it for her. Coach Masako needed to retrieve some documents that she left behind yesterday, along with her keys to access the fitness centers.

"Is something wrong?" A janitor asked.

"Yes, can you open this door?" The Coach asked.

"I'm afraid not miss. I would only have that kind of access if I was the head of the cleaning department." Great…

"What is going on Masa?" Kogetora Aida asked. He was the Head-Coach and also the usual voice of the morning announcements.

"I think your daughter's in the main office, but she won't let me in. I forgot my keys in there." Araki explained.

"Riko?" The sound of her father saying her name caused the girl to grow cold. Damn. Five minutes. There was the sickening sound of a key sliding into the lock and unlatching it. Crap.

"Kagami, Kuroko, I need you two to be first. Keep it concise and remember what I told you."

"Yeah coach," They both replied.

"Don't be so nonchalant about it!" She yelled.

"Riko-tan? Darling? What is going on?" The overprotective father worried. "Are those boys trying to harm you? Are they holding you against your will? Don't worry sweetie, daddy will rescue you!" Kiyoshi predicted the elder male would try to shove the door open, so Seirin's Center raced to the door and stood his ground. He used his strong arms to make sure that the refrigerators were not disturbed. "Honey, hold on! I promise that Daddy is coming to get you! You boys will suffer the consequences! I swear, if any of you leave a mark on my Riko-tan… I will empty all the bullets in my gun into your puny brains…" He threatened. Teppei held the overzealous father back and gave a thumbs up to the team. He should be able to hold the former-nationals winner back until they were done.

"Now, Kagami, get in front of the camera and make your declaration!" Riko said and kicked the younger man into position.

"Jeez coach, that was unnecessary!" Three, two, one… "Hello Teiko Academy, I am Kagami Taiga of Seirin Dormitory. I am going to prove to you that Seirin is strong. We may be a new dormitory, but this only means we are going to create our own legends instead of living in the shadows of one. So I say now, that if at any time Seirin loses, that I will strip all of my clothes off my body and confess my feelings to the person I love!" He yelled proudly, yet without any arrogance. His fierce appearance and loud voice were powerful, the best kind of start for a cry to war that they were proposing. Kagami moved out of the way for Kuroko, doing his best to ignore Head-Coach Kagetora's retort of "You keep your clothes on you pervert! Riko, don't panic!"

"Hello everyone, my name is Kuroko Tetsuya. I am here to make the same declaration. Seirin is strong; do not underestimate us. If we do lose, then I too will strip my clothes off and confess my feelings." The shadow said with a little more vigor. Riko smiled. She was quite proud of the boy and his ability to emote on camera. The assistant coach was worried that he would destroy the flow of this moment. It was essential that they continued with strength, courage, and dignity in order to set a good example for their dorm. She wagged her finger, calling the phantom back. Kuroko walked away and encouraged his cowardly classmate Furihata to go.

"H-hi, I am Furihata Kouki. I am a freshman of Seirin Dormitory and I too make that promise. If we lose, I will get naked and confess to the girl I have a crush on." He reluctantly said. He turned to the side and saw Kuroko, Kagami, and Riko give him the peace sign, signaling he did a good job. Furihata walked towards them, but yelped in surprise when he heard Riko's dad yell "I know all you dirty, smelly boys have a crush on my precious, only daughter! Stay away from her! You will not taint her innocence! Riko-tan!"

"What is going on in there Aida-san?" Masako was concerned. She could not hear anything because she was not the one pressed against the door, but according to her boss, his daughter (who Araki considered as her niece) was being held hostage by several male students!

"I'm going to save you baby!"

"Hurry, he's getting stronger…" Kiyoshi warned them. Two more to go! Hyuuga and Mitobe stood next to the large teen, helping him hold off the charging father.

"My name is Fukuda Hiroshi, and I am a freshman at Seirin as well. We may be new, but we will never be beat in spirit or in our love for basketball!" Fukuda proudly announced. Riko squealed quietly to herself, not wanting to interrupt him. "We will play our best, and show you our strength! And if this is not enough, than I will rid myself of my clothes and confess my feelings to the girl I love."

"I am Kawahara Koichi, and I am proud to call myself a member of Seirin. For years, I have been battling an illness since childhood which meant that I couldn't play sports." Oh no… the type that are all talk and get old really fast. Riko took off her left shoe and chucked it at Koichi's head, effectively silencing him and causing him to fall to the ground. She gestured for Koganei to end the broadcast and upload it to the site, and he swiftly did so. The three players that were effectively holding the Head-Coach back ran away, letting the older man burst the door open and sent five, heavy hunks of metal flying. The coach looked like he was about to cry until he saw his beloved child, and flung himself towards her. His coos and awes of "Riko-tan" and "Oh honey, I am so glad you are safe" made the young woman annoyed enough to punch her dad in the stomach.

"What is going on here?" It was Coach Nakatani of Shuutoku Dormitory. He saw the unexpected announcement and raced down to the main office to see what was happening.

"Apparently some students were holding Miss Aida Riko hostage. She is safe now with her father-"

"No Coach Araki, I was not held hostage. I was trying to boost the morale of the freshmen and the basketball team. This is Seirin's declaration!" Riko said firmly. All the young men nodded, their smiles were glowing with accomplishment.

"Hm… how interesting…" Nakatani said. "But you will still be punished. For five days, you will give the janitorial staff a break for two hours by performing their duties." None of the other Coaches objected to his suggestion.

"Eh! For five days? The last time we did this, you only punished us for one day!" Riko whined.

"Clearly you did not learn your lesson young lady. Honestly, where is Coach Alex? These are her students." Araki scolded. Soon, they heard the sound of a barefoot, blonde woman decorated in only her striped panties and a camisole walk into the mess. She yawned, clearly not a morning person and mumbled what was going on. "Coach Alex, where are your pants? Honestly, it is indecent for you do be wearing such attire around your students!"

"Hm… sorry, I was staying with my niece in her dorm, making sure she was okay. She isn't used to being away from home, let alone another country. As for potential students seeing me, why would the students be down here already? It is not even seven yet." She popped her head into the office door and beamed a big smile. "Oh, hello you guys! What's up?" Riko giggled and tossed her favorite teacher some sweatpants in her size, knowing that she would do something silly like this. "Oh, thank you Riko-chan! You're so sweet and adorable. I can see why your father adores you with all his heart." She gushed as she put on the offered clothes.

"Please control your students Alex-san, this is the second time this has happened. If they really wanted to make an announcement, they could have just asked." Coach Araki complained. The blonde woman smiled and tsk-ed at the dark-haired woman.

"They wanted to do it their way. They knew the potential consequences, so don't try to make it sound like they don't know what they are doing. If they want to antagonize everyone, so be it. It's a fair lesson for everyone, not just them. In life, there will be people that say things, people that do things, and those that do both. But who respects you is determined by whether or not you are the things you claim." Garcia stated. "But honestly, this is going to cut into your study time you guys. Maybe you should do something like making an announcement on the roof top? Something less intrusive for the coaches, but still has a strong message. Hahaha, to be young and full of such spirit… wouldn't you agree, Head-Coach Aida?" Riko's father grinned.

"How very true. Well, everyone stay in the office for now. We need to fill in the paperwork of your punishment, and you're also going to have to put those empty fridges in the back alley dumpster where you found them. After that, everyone will sit here and write an apology to Coach Araki, Coach Nakatani, and me for inconveniencing all of us." Kagetora added. They groaned and followed after him, thankful that he didn't want to kill them all anymore.

"I just wondered Coach Riko," Furihata paused nervously. "Do you think it was a good idea to have Kuroko make an announce like that? The Generation of Miracles will want to slaughter us."

"What do you mean Furihata-kun?" Kuroko questioned.

"Well, you're dating them Kuroko. If they hear that you'll get naked if we lose-"

"Hold it! Which one of them are you dating Kuroko? We'll need to keep an eye on that team, because they'll be even more determined to beat us that the others if they have a reason to see Kuroko naked." Riko asked. Kuroko tilted his head in confusion.

"I am dating all of them. Akashi-kun, Aomine-kun, Kise-kun, Midorima-kun, Murisakibara-kun, and even my old manager Momoi-kun, they are all my boyfriends and girlfriend."

"What? Are you serious? Why didn't you tell me this before?" She groaned.

"You never asked." Kuroko reasoned. Kagami laughed.

"I think it's good. It means they will play their best, which makes it awesome!" Taiga said, overjoyed with the idea of strong opponents.

"Actually, couldn't this be an advantage because they'll be too distracted?" Koichi said, rubbing his bruised cheek. "They'll be thinking about Kuroko naked rather than basketball."

"Hm… you might have a point. But usually when you dangle a prize that great in front of such talents, they will get better not worse." Riko feared, not knowing how accurate she was.

Kise smiled happily. He was fully dressed, lying on his stomach comfortably on his bed, and reading through his fanmail through his bright, yellow cellphone. The prodigy loved all the adoration. He wasn't narcissistic, it was just that having blonde hair in Japanese society was rather unusual and he was picked on during his days in Elementary School because of it. While his mother's celebrity status as a model herself did afford him many privileges, the copycat did not really have friends and admirers until Teiko Middle School. There, people did not think his blonde hair was strange, but beautiful, and his lean and tall frame was accepted as handsome, manly, and desirable. Perhaps it was life's way of making sure the adorable teen did not take what was given to him for granted or let Ryouta become jaded by the fame.

The ding of the school announcements came on, but instead of the voice of an old man, he heard an excited teenager. It was something about Seirin Dormitory, nothing that interested Kise.

"_Hello everyone, my name is Kuroko Tetsuya."_ Kurokocchi? What was he doing?

"_I am here to make the same declaration. Seirin is strong; do not underestimate us." _Of course Kuroko was strong; he was the one that instructed Kise after all. He remembered those days he took for granted, having Kuroko's companionship for hours. The blonde never thought that he would actually fall for someone of low presence and lack of talent, someone who was his opposite, but perhaps it just proved how special the passing specialist was. He smiled to himself, and sat up. It was cute of Kuroko to join his team in a morning announcement, so Kise wanted to hear more from the teal teen.

"_If we do lose, then I too will strip my clothes off and confess my feelings."_ Kise dropped his matching cellphone in shock… the cogs in his brain were furiously working to the point he could feel steam come out of his ears. Kurokocchi… naked? Kise felt his whole face heat up to the point he questioned how he was not exploding like a volcano. The pale, gentle boy was always modest, and the idea of such a person that the blonde loved dearly appearing before him naked and talking about how much he loved the copycat… Kise squealed, waking up his annoyed roommate. The blonde did not care. He was too excited. This was fuel for the flame; his team _needed_ to win against Seirin. He grabbed his pillow for he had to have something to squeeze and ran out of his room, rushing up the stairs, and banging his fist against Captain Kasamatsu's door.

"Kise, what are you doing-" The blonde in all his excitement bashed the pillow against the Kaijou Captain's head.

"Kasamatsu-sempai! We need to have a match with Seirin soon! Please ask the Coach to schedule it! I want to see Kurokocchi so badly! He's so cute and lovable, and I can't stop thinking about him, and I want to hug him and kiss him so much! Please, please, please… please, make it happen somehow Kasamatsu-sempai!" Kise rambled like a madman. "Oh my god, he would be so adorable! Kurokocchi would look up at me with those round, beautiful eyes, maybe he'd be a little embarrassed and he'd be blushing! I rarely see that sweet, little boyfriend of mine blush! Oh, please Captain, I would be in… C-Captain, are you okay?" Ryouta asked nervously after seeing the senior fuming with rage that was building up with every word Kise spoke. "I think this is the point I should run…"

In Shuutoku Dormitory, Midorima was doing push-ups on the floor while Takao was reading Mary Shelley's _Frankenstein_. The obnoxious boy was usually annoying, so the emerald-haired teen did not disturb his roommate and question why he would be interested in such material. On his fiftieth push-up, the shooting guard heard the signal for the announcements. Neither basketball player cared to really know what was happening at the school. Midorima paused when he heard a rough, annoying voice come of out the sound system. He cringed but did said nothing.

"_Hello everyone, my name is Kuroko Tetsuya."_ Kuroko? Why was he on the announcements? Were the Generation of Miracles and a few other players asked to say a few words? No, that could not be it for they would have alerted him before they remembered Kuroko.

"Neh Shin-chan, what is your boyfriend doing?"

"I do not know, and stop calling Kuroko my boyfriend!" Midorima whipped. Honestly, the green-haired, young man wanted to respect Kuroko's decisions of moving their relationships slowly until he was ready, and Takao calling the adorable shadow his boyfriend just added to the frustration. It was not that Kuroko was not worth the wait, but rather because Midorima was so enamored by him, the wait felt unbearable at times. The problems of teenagers were rather annoying.

"Why? That is what you call him in your journal." Takao grinned.

"Stop going through my things!" Midorima glared but knew his roommate was a nosy one.

"_I am here to make the same declaration. Seirin is strong; do not underestimate us. If we do lose, then I too will strip my clothes off and confess my feelings."_ Midorima's arms gave in out of the boldness of that statement, and he bumped his forehead against the floor. Takao hackled at the basketball genius' mishap and rushed over to help him up. Shintaro whacked his arm against Kazunari's stomach, effectively silencing him and deterring the Hawk-Eye specialist from touching him. Midorima felt his forehead, feeling the skin aching at the smallest touch. Great, now he had a bruise. The shooter was glad that his bangs were long enough to conceal such a blemish, and went to his drawer to get some ointment.

"So Shin-chan, are you excited to play Seirin now?" Takao teased.

"Idiot, I do not need such silly reasons to play basketball and I do not care about Kuroko's lack of clothing. It is his body and his choice." Midorima answered with his nose turned up. Shintaro's roommate however continued.

"Huh, I guess you're better than most of us then. I'm really pumped at the idea of seeing Tet-chan naked. He's so cute already, with his round face, fluffy hair, and exuberant eyes that are the same color as the clear sky. I'm glad that we're becoming friends. Who knows? Maybe by the time we beat his team he'll like me enough to show up naked. He would probably look and smell as sweet as I imagined." Midorima's hands balled into fists. His vulgar roommate dared to think such thoughts about Kuroko? "He's so adorable. I bet he would be really quiet and lean into your ear so only you could hear. It makes it more personal. You could feel his breath against your ear, and feel the heat of his soft, sensuous body against yours-"

"Stop fantasizing about my boyfriend's-" Midorima stopped himself before he said more. Damn. This is exactly what Takao wanted.

Momoi during that time was racing out of her room with only a robe. She and Aomine had a free period that morning, so they did not need to wake up and get ready right away like most people. The flimsy, satin robe was threatening to undo itself but she did not care. The announcement got her heart racing and she desperately needed Aomine do be thinking the same thing. They could not lose to Seirin.

"Dai-chan! Dai-chan wake up!" She yelled outside his door. Sakurai opened it, profusely saying sorry because he had not opened it for the young woman sooner. "It is alright Sakurai-kun. Is Dai-chan in there?" It would not surprise her if he woke up early to shoot hoops.

"Y-y-yes, he's here. Um… I-I don't know if I can wake him up." The boy said nervously. Momoi smirked. Ryo felt uncomfortable seeing that kind of expression on the pink-haired girl's face. Usually she looked kindhearted and sweet, but now she looked calculated and menacing.

"That is fine. I can wake him up with some news that I know he'll love. Can I come in?" The basketball regular nodded and moved out of the way so she could enter the room. Momoi chucked and made a direct line to Aomine's bed. She snuck into the covers (making Sakurai blush at how comfortable she was with his roommate) and whispered lightly in his ear "Dai-chan, Dai-chan, you need to wake up. I have some wonderful news about Tetsu-kun." Aomine groaned but his eyes fluttered open. Anything about their beloved boyfriend made the Teiko Middle School ace do anything. "I bet you didn't hear the announcement, did you silly?"

"What did it have to do with Tetsu?"

"He said that if our team beats him, we get to see him naked." That woke Aomine up.

"Really? Hahaha, he just wants a convenient way to make himself naked to us. Tetsu knows the only one who can defeat me is me." The tan teenager grinned.

"Precisely, so I want to make sure that when we play Seirin, that you don't skip the game. Okay?"

"No problem Satsuki… now let me sleep. Can I use you as a pillow?"

"Yup," She beamed and snuggled up to her best friend. The two instantly fell asleep while the sandy-blonde left the room, he felt too uncomfortable seeing them together.

Akashi heard the amusing announcement while he was on the exercise bike. It was what he liked about Tetsuya, the boy was interesting. The red head slowly his pace down and hopped off the bike, properly wiping off with a towel before he ventured off. Sauntering around the halls of Teiko Academy at an even pace, the Rakuzan Captain found his way into the kitchen to see Murisakibara indulging in an apple pastry. He knew he would find the tall, striking player here. Still, the other did not appear as if he listened or heard of the wondrous news.

"Did you hear the morning announcement Atsushi?" The purple-haired teen nodded. He chewed the piece of bread that was in his mouth before answering Seiijuro.

"Yeah Akachin, I thought it was strange. Kurochin is a modest person, why would he want to take off his clothes when he loses? Wouldn't that make him feel worse about losing? But I think he would look good with no clothes. He is so small and cute, like a fancy dessert." Murisakibara said. "Why is Akachin here? Just to make sure I heard that?"

"No, I wanted to say that no matter what, never lose to Seirin." Akashi commanded. The hungry teen nodded.

"Neh Akachin, do you think Kurochin will give his first time to you when he loses?" Akashi smirked.

"How did you know about that promise Tetsuya made to me?"

"I heard it when only you were the only one interested in him, and he said that he loved you enough to promise that. Soon after that, Nijichin said he was interested in Kuroko too but he respected you two falling in love first and he had to take care of his father. I can't help but feel it's kind of unfair. Can I be the first to lick Kurochin then if you're the one that gets to be his first time?" Atsushi asked childishly.

"You will have to ask Tetsuya about that Atsushi." Murisakibara agreed and went back to eating…

Kuroko sighed. He was cooped up in the office for so long that he missed his morning classes. Thankfully he knew Momoi had his schedule, and that later he could text her to ask who was in his class and could help him catch up. The phantom wanted to get a treat after an exhausting day, and noticed that the Academy had a movie theatre on its property. He enjoyed watching movies and eating vanilla-seasoned popcorn. There was just something about watching movies on such a large screen, going through the same reactions and emotions throughout the film with complete strangers, eating delicious snacks, and having an escape from your troubles for a few hours. Knowing that he would spend the next five afternoons with a mop and bucket, the ghostly teen needed to drop by and spend the rest of his lunch period there.

Amazingly, there was a short film being featured along with a regular movie. It was an independent film titled _Love Hate_, with a nervous looking man and an eccentric woman on the poster. While it did not look impressive at first, the person starring the film was Ben Whishaw, a British actor that impressed the oldest member of the Generation of Miracles with his acting in Perfume: Story of a Murderer, Bright Star, and My Brother Tom. He was surprised that he did not have to pay for a ticket and that the popcorn cheap, but then again, Teiko Academy had plenty of wealthy clients that sent their children there. It would be no surprise to the transparent man if they had enough funds to have these kinds of amenities available.

He strolled through the darkened room, feeling at peace. The perfect spot for Kuroko was always the center of the room. Not too far that you lost the magnificence of the screen, but not too close that you missed the details. The phantom player sat down, munching on some popcorn as he waited for the last of the previews to end. There weren't that many people because most of the students still had class during this time. Still, even in an uncrowded room, there was always going to be someone who accidentally sits or interrupts him. Today, it was a man a little older than him, with short, spiky, black hair. He had large, steal blue eyes and strong, thick eyebrows. The elder student was quite handsome, even with that stern and stoic look on his face.

"Excuse me, but I am already sitting here." Kuroko mentioned so that he did not get squished.

"Ah!" Kasamatsu gasped, almost dropping his own popcorn and drink. He carefully set them down in the holders next to Kuroko's seat, and sat down next to the phantom, sixth man. "Forgive me, I didn't notice you there. It must be darker in this theatre than I imagined."

"No sempai, I am just not a noticeable person." The teal-haired boy stated. Kasamatsu sighed and held his hand out for the younger boy to shake.

"Still, please accept my apologies. I am Kasamatsu Yukio, a senior student at Kaijou Dormitory." Kuroko shook the other's hand, surprised by its firm grip and the rough texture of his hand.

"I'm Kuroko Tetsuya, first year at Seirin Dormitory. It is a pleasure to meet you sempai," Kasamatsu smiled.

"It is nice to be around a respectful kouhai. Those calluses of yours still feel hot and raw. You must practice really hard." The elder grinned. "I do as well, but my Coach always scolds me when I push myself too hard. But I can never become soft. I do not have the talent some of my team members have, and so I must work harder." Kasamatsu paused to look at the screen to make sure the movie didn't start. "Still, this is one of my forced days off from extra training. What about you Kuroko? I know you're a basketball player, but what kind are you and why are you here at the theatre by yourself today?" Kuroko could not help but like the man immediately. He could relate to him both in basketball, and a love of movies.

"I am the same as you Kasamatsu-sempai. I am surrounded by talented people but I am not one myself, so I must train and be diligent. Sometimes though, it is nice to escape into the darkness of the movie theatre. This is my first time seeing this short film despite the poster saying that it was released in 2009."

"Good to know that hard work isn't dead." Kasamatsu said, surprising Kuroko when he removed his wrist and ankle weights and placed them on his lap. "Yeah, you'll see it a lot though. There are a lot of short films in this theatre's library because students like to complete a film during lunch time without missing anything." The two continued on like that, even as the movie began. They would share their thoughts, analyzing every scene and metaphor, the main character's struggle with his love life with the mysterious woman but maintaining the friendships he so carefully built based on his fears of being alone or disliked. Kuroko had to admit that he was fascinated by the independent piece, and undoubtedly he was smitten with the elder teen.

"I enjoyed watching a movie with you Kasamatsu-sempai," Kuroko said truthfully.

"It was fun for me too. We should do it again sometime. Would you like to see another movie next week, same time?" Yukio suggested with a big smile on his face. He never enjoyed going out like this in a long time. While he enjoyed spending time with his teammates, most of them did not have the same hobbies as him.

"Is Kasamatsu-sempai asking me on a date?"

"Hahaha, Kuroko of course I'm not. We can enjoy a movie together without it being a date." Kuroko shrugged.

"Ah, that is too bad. I was hoping for it to be one. I like Kasamatsu-sempai," The vanishing teen said before walking away. The stern Captain felt his cheeks heat up, and his tongue twisting and numbing just as he would when he was around women. Was it right to date someone younger than him? Particularly when he was going to graduate this year, and would probably not see Kuroko as often as they would have liked if they decided to date seriously? The responsible Captain inwardly groaned. The dark-haired man did like Tetsuya, and it was rare of him to just immediately talk to someone and click in the same way he did with the younger teen…

"Wait, Kuroko!" Tetsuya stopped. "If you want to think of it as a date, I wouldn't mind. It was nice being around someone that wasn't a complete imbecile. I mean… it's not like we're getting married tomorrow. A simple date would be harmless."

"Thank you Kasamatsu-sempai, you're very kind." Kuroko said and ran off to his next class.

* * *

I hope you liked that chapter. The next chapter will be more exciting because we're going to see more interactions between the characters like in chapter two. Hope you liked this one though while you wait!


	4. Chapter 4 Zoo Trip

**Summary**: Today's the zoo trip! Kiyoshi reminds him to have a good time, and Takao and Himuro are very sneaky.

**Notes**:  
1. Totally made up what happened to Nijimura. I hope that is okay because I do not remember the manga mentioning him after he resigned.  
2. Hangyodon is a sanrio character that interacts with Hello Kitty. His name is very similar to the Japanese word for silly or comedic.

Um... I know I just started this fanfic, but I also want to write another Kuroko no Basuke fanfic where Seirin relies on Kuroko to spy on the other teams for information and thinks he does it by being sneaky/innoticeable when really he agrees to the team having an orgy with him after he's done recording... would anyone be interested in that? I feel like a total pervert, but I really want Kasakuro, Imakuro, and Miyaji/Kuroko (Mijakuro?) smut and I can't find any.

**Word Count**: 8,279 Words (I'm so sorry!)

* * *

Kuroko fixed the collar of his polo shirt, making sure nothing was uncomfortably lying funny. The phantom player examined himself in the mirror. Light blue shirt (because Kise said that he appreciated it when Kuroko incorporated colors similar to his eyes), knee-length, black shorts, and his usual sneakers appeared to be an acceptable outfit for an outing at the zoo. Kuroko knew that weather could be unpredictable so the ghostly player draped a white, unzipped hoodie over his slim shoulders. The unnoticeable, young man did not want to wear the hood unless it was pouring rain. If anyone thought his morning hair was ridiculous in appearance, that person clearly never saw the teal boy's hair after he wore a hat or hoodie to conceal it.

"Kagami-kun, are you ready?" Tetsuya called out from the restroom.

"Yeah! Honestly though… why do you change in the bathroom? It is kind of weird. It's not like you're a girl Kuroko." The shadow sighed and opened the door seeing Kagami sitting on the edge of bed, fully dressed in a B'z band T-shirt, straight leg jeans, and athletic shoes. One never knew when he or she would be challenged at random to play basketball.

"I started changing my clothes in the restroom when I realized that I as pansexual. I didn't want anyone to think I was watching them or taking advantage of their vulnerable situation while we were changing. Of course I don't do such things, but many people are insecure. I find it is easier for everyone if I do what I do." The apparition explained to his roommate. The wild looking man rolled his eyes. He mumbled something about not caring what Kuroko did during his personal time as long as he played his best on the court. It made the shadow happy to hear such things from his new light. Kagami was a good person, despite his abrasive personality. It also helped that both students were complete, basketball fanatics. "We should probably go. The others will be meeting us at the bus stop."

As the two started walking, they continued their conversation.

"Alright, but I still feel kind of awkward for tagging along. A lot of people that are going date you. I feel like I'd be a third-uh, well, seventh wheel." Taiga said concerned. He could spend as much time with the invisible teen as he wanted since they were roommates, but the dunk specialist did not have the same feelings for Kuroko like the Generation of Miracles did. They were best friends on the basketball court, and generally good friends outside of it, but nothing more. He was not pining for his shadow's attention like all of Kuroko's lovers. They would skip their practice to watch Seirin's own practice, all so that they could watch the boy with little presence. Thankfully, the scolding of their coaches, captains, and Akashi made them stop, but honestly Kagami felt sorry for them. He did not know what their personalities were on the court since they haven't had a match, but off the court they were a rather goofy bunch.

"I am more worried about Kagami-kun's relationship with Himuro-kun, and how it will affect today's trip." Kuroko admitted.

"Eh, things are getting better. He keeps asking about you though. Do you know him?"

"Himuro-kun is in a couple of my classes. I talk to him frequently. We even exchanged phone numbers on our first day of school." Kagami paused; he was truly confused. "Is there something wrong Kagami-kun?"

"Why is that guy asking me all this stuff about you if he knows your damn phone number?" Kagami yelled. He was annoyed. "Honestly, he's one of the most intelligent people in our year and he didn't think of the logical way of finding out that information? Those stupid fangirls that keep sending him love letters must be sucking out his brains." Kuroko suspected something, but he had to be with Himuro to make sure. "Urgh that guy… this is probably another one of his sneaky tricks. He's always like that! The bastard, whether it is basketball or friends, apparently he had to be like that. He is such a jerk…" Kagami ranted.

"Sneaky?"

"Yeah, he- oy! Watch out Kuroko!" It was too late. The combination of Kuroko's low presence and Kiyoshi's vision being compromised due to the heavy, large box that he was carrying, the Iron-Heart Center bumped into Kuroko and dropped the box's contents all over the delicate looking boy. Kuroko was pummeled by the teachers' individual servings of coffee creamer. Most of them remained intact but a few on impact popped open, splashing onto the phantom's hair, exposed skin, and clothes. The teal teen looked as if he swam in a pool of milk. His hair lay completely flat, drenched in the sweet, vanilla-hazelnut cream, and his clothes clung uncomfortably to his tiny frame. Kiyoshi and Kagami could not help but be reminded of images of kittens getting an unexpected bath. "Kuroko, you okay?"

"Yes Kagami-kun, I am fine. I am a little sticky though…"

"I am so sorry Kuroko-kun! I spilled the staff's month-worth of creamer all over you!" Teppei cried in horror and hurriedly went down onto his knees to gather the unbroken containers. "I opened the box to makes sure this was the flavor they requested, and I guess that I didn't close it properly. I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings! None of it got in your eyes, did it?" Kuroko shook his head. "That is a relief. Hey, Kagami-kun, could you get some spare clothes for him from your room? I'll take him to the public showers no one uses. Here, I'll help guide you. While it didn't get into your eyes, I'm sure your soaked bangs are in the way." Kuroko nodded and held onto Kiyoshi's right hand gently.

"I'm sorry for inconveniencing you Kiyoshi-san,"

"Inconveniencing me? Kuroko-kun, I was the one that made an error. You were just walking. And how many times do I have to say, no 'san' when addressing me? We're teammates Kuroko-kun, we're equals." Kiyoshi smiled. The blank phantom nodded, still a little peeved about being sticky. "Don't worry, it is close by. These showers used to be the ones everyone used until the school was large enough to provide private ones for everyone."

Just as Kiyoshi predicted, they were close by but the elder man felt a little uneasy when he met the eyes of a student he did not recognize going into the showers. While he knew the stranger was part of Rakuzan Dormitory, he was not sure on the name. "Kuroko-kun, just be a little careful when you're in the showers. I don't want you to slip, and hurt yourself." Kuroko nodded and went inside.

The phantom stripped all of his drenched clothing, relishing the feeling of dryness. He noticed someone getting into a shower stall, but knew that there were probably more than two stalls. As he entered the shower area, indeed, there were five stalls with tall showers (to accommodate the tall players) and the one in the middle was being used. It was hard to see everything accurately, but the phantom knew that he had to be careful of the polished, porcelain floors. While these showers were not used as often as they had in the past, the school still maintained everything to a highly hygienic standard. Since he wanted to be courteous and not disturb the other person inside, Kuroko went to the one on the right; the one most shrouded in shadow and turned on the hot water.

It felt good; the warmth melting the cold that clung to his skin, and he sighed in temporary bliss.

"Ah, I did not notice you there." The voice was not of surprise, but of curiosity. It was similar to how Imayoshi bumped into him, but rather a devious tone this one was good natured and gentle. "You must be Kuroko Tetsuya."

"Yes," Kuroko said. "Who are you?"

"I am Mayuzumi Chihiro, a senior at Rakuzan Dormitory. I know you because of Captain Akashi," Akashi talked about Kuroko? The teal-haired boy shrugged it off and continued to softly scrub his body under the trickling water. "He misses you. I think he's really disappointed that you are not playing on the same team."

"He knew of my decision. It was his choice to stay at Rakuzan. But yes, I do miss playing on the same team." The phantom knew that it probably hurt all of them to no longer be a team, but they could not ignore the huge problem between all of them. Sure, he was going on a carefree trip to the zoo, but life was not always this way. Kuroko needed to see if he could revive that team he once knew, those people he fell in love with.

"You sound just like Akashi described. Quiet and that is something I can appreciate. I can barely hear you over the running water." The elder teen sighed for a moment. "I won't tell Akashi about this meeting. I don't want to get killed. So I hope we can meet again soon in different circumstances." Mayuzumi said as he turned off his shower. "I am really curious to know someone who can do this to our captain. Have a good day Kuroko." Tetsuya nodded and watched the other's naked, retreating form before finishing up his own shower.

He strolled out of the shower, seeing Kiyoshi waiting for him with his clothes.

"Hello Kiyoshi-kun,"

"Hello Kuroko-kun, here are the clothes Kagami-kun picked out from your dresser. They're pretty similar to the ones you were wearing earlier… you really like light blue, black, and white, don't you?" Kuroko shrugged.

"Kise-kun discarded most of my clothes in my third year of Middle School. He did not like how most of them looked, so he tossed them. My mother didn't mind since he replaced all of them, and she agreed that his clothing choices looked better than mine." The shadow said before taking the clothes and walking casually into the toilet stall. It felt odd to Teppei; because he had been around plenty of naked men his age and they never used the restroom to change attire.

"Hey, why aren't you changing out here?" Kiyoshi wondered. "Please don't tell me you've been uncomfortable around me Kuroko-kun…"

"No Kiyoshi-kun, it is a habit." Kuroko shrugged and got dressed within record time. Despite looking like he was going outside to hang out with friends, the shadow teen had an apparent frown on his face. The elder teammate did not like to see the passing specialist or any of his teammates sad, so he carefully walked towards Kuroko and asked for the young man to meet his gaze. Just as the brotherly figure thought, the eyes were dull in comparison to the days before this trip. Kiyoshi sighed; put both of his hands on Kuroko's shoulders, and leaned a little so that they could see each other's faces better. "Kiyoshi-kun?"

"When the future comes, you'll figure something out but today is the day that is most important. Please have fun Kuroko-kun." The elder said as if he were saying it to a deeply troubled, younger sibling. Kuroko understood and thanked the helpful second year. "You're welcome, now go. I'm sure they are all wondering where you are. Kagami-kun should be outside waiting for you. Does he already know of your habit of changing in the restroom or was it just coincidence that he respected your privacy?"

"Yes, Kagami-kun knew and that is probably why he didn't come in. He is a nice person."

"I know."

The shadow rejoined his new light, both of them racing to the bus stop near the school's entrance. Kagami groaned when he glanced at his watch and realized that Kuroko was not running fast enough, so the American boy hoisted Kuroko over his shoulder and dashed down the cement walkways as if his life depended on it. Once he saw purple, green, and soon bright blue come into his vision, Taiga knew that he was close. Now there was yellow, pink, and soon the backs of Himuro, Takao, and the other Seirin freshmen. Shit the bus! The bus that made a direct line to the zoo from their Academy was less than thirty feet away from reaching the bus stop. The intimidating man begged silently to the gods that he get there in time in order to avoid the wrath of his best friend's boyfriends (and one girlfriend). "Kagami-kun, you know that I can walk right?"

"Shut up Kuroko and just get ready to flash your student I.D! I'm going to sprint for it! Wait for us!" Kagami yelled ferociously. Kuroko reached into his back pocket, trying to stay as still as possible so that it was easier for his roommate to run for the vehicle. "Hold on Kuroko!" Kagami warned the dangling teenager over his shoulders as he jumped for the bus. Thankfully his long arm was able to grab at the handle and press the button, forcing the doors to open and the driver to stop. "Hahaha, yes, we made it!"

Both Seirin aces cheered, showed their I.D so that they could ride the bus free of charge, and went to sit with their group. Kagami dropped Kuroko off in between Akashi and Midorima; it was similar to that of a criminal that had embezzled from the organization and offering an appeasement as a last effort to save his life. The wild looking man sat on the floor of the bus, still panting from the mad dash to the bus with his roommate thrown over his shoulders. Akashi wrapped an arm around Kuroko's thin waist and Midorima's long arm rested on Kuroko's narrow shoulders, as both of them stared down at the gasping and sweating man before them.

"Kagami-kun, you look so exhausted. What's the matter?" Furihata asked.

"Why were you so late Kagami?" Kise wondered.

"Blame Kuroko, he's the one that made us late." Taiga paused to catch his breath. "Kiyoshi was carrying some coffee creamer for the teachers and didn't notice Kuroko. They collided and some of the coffee creamer spilled all over Kuroko. I had to wait for him to shower and get dressed. I hate to carry him and run like hell in order to get here on time."

"Hey, you better not have seen Tetsu naked…" Aomine warned.

"No, no, I waited outside the restroom. Kiyoshi might have when he gave the clothes I got for Kuroko."

Akashi turned to his attention to Midorima.

"Shintaro, what is your lucky item for today?" He hoped it was something to stab Kuroko's friend with.

"Apparently lucky item today is a Hangyodon plush toy." Midorima answered quickly and pointed to the childish object sitting on his lap. "I have found many plush toys to be Oha-Asa lucky items over the past few years, so I believe they might have some special powers when it comes to dictating fate. It would explain why children are so drawn to them."

"Midorima-kun, may I see it quickly?" Kuroko asked. The green-haired teen nodded and handed the phantom the turquoise-colored doll, knowing that Kuroko would not damage it. The sixth man held the item up to his face, staring at Hangyodon's large eyes. The shooter did not know why his boyfriend was examining it so carefully until the teal-haired teen softly hugged the plush toy. "It is very cute. It looks like a radioactive fish that came out of a swamp. I never knew people could make such things look adorable. I also like the name. The toy does look like if he were alive, he would have a playful and fun personality. I wonder if hugging it now gives me good luck."

Midorima used his taped fingers to hide his blushing face. The doll was not the adorable one, Kuroko was. A small teen that had such sweet, round eyes, and admiring the toy with such innocence and wonder was too cute for the usually poised man to say anything. Kise was admiring the ghostly, young man's happiness as well. He never knew that Kuroko could be so happy over such things. Akashi smiled tenderly at the sixth man, for Kuroko's happiness was his own. Momoi squealed at her boyfriend's immediate liking for the stuffed toy, and Aomine even cracked a genuine smile. Murisakibara stopped eating for he was fixated on the sight. Chips could wait if it meant seeing his adorable, sky-blue boyfriend as content as Kuroko was now. Takao and Himuro, who had been sitting beside each other and conversing about zoo animals, also found themselves drawn to Kuroko's enchantment with the plushy. After seeing all of Kuroko's admirers reactions, Kagami, Furihata, Kawahara, and Fukuda felt like complete outsiders for not caring about Kuroko to the extent everyone else did.

"You may keep it. Cancer was rated number two while Aquarius was number seven. You need the luck more than I do." Shintaro finally reasoned so that his boyfriend could have the doll. Kuroko's stare switched from the plush toy to Midorima, knowing exactly what the shooting prodigy was doing. As the teal-haired boy leaned close to the Shuutoku student, the bus made a sharp turn and caused Midorima and Kuroko's lips to crash into each other. Not wanting to slip and bruise his or the shooting guard's mouth, the phantom curled his fingers around Midorima's shirt while the other held the plush toy so he did not flop around but to everyone else, it looked like Kuroko was passionately making out with the emerald teen.

"Wha, Midorimacchi is playing dirty Akashicchi! He gave that thing to Kurokocchi so that he could make out with him!" Kise accused and pointed.

"I agree! Midorima is trying to hog Tetsu!" Aomine huffed.

"Whoot, Shin-chan I didn't know you were so devious. You making out with Tet-chan on a bus!" Takao teased even though he was both angry and envious of his teammate. Once the bus became steady again, the phantom pulled away and back into his seat. Akashi held him closer, almost forcing Kuroko to lay his head against his shoulders because he was so jealous.

"Sorry Midorima-kun, I meant to give you a hug but the bus turned and I fell." Tetsuya explained.

"It did no harm Kuroko." It was all the shooting guard could say because he was too busy being embarrassed and joyous. Judging by their behavior, Akashi concluded it was indeed an accident and let go of his fury building up inside.

The rest of the ride of the zoo was uneventful. Everyone got off the bus in an orderly fashion, and entered the facility just as quietly.

Himuro noticed before they saw any animals that Kuroko was clutching the doll against his chest with a hint of worry on his face. The Yosen ace took off his necklace, and placed the ring that was wrapped around it like a pendant on his pinky finger. Since it was a childhood keepsake, the ring fit more like a fashionable middle-ring than a proper one, but he wanted to try something to make the shadow more comfortable. Using the free chain, he grabbed Kuroko's new toy and threaded the silver chain into the tag on its neck. Once he was done with that, Himuro placed the necklace around Kuroko's tiny neck and locked the clasp so that it was secure. The phantom stared down at the toy, and then back at his friend with those sky-blue eyes.

"Thank you," Kuroko appreciated the thought. Seeing his friend satisfied with his work, Himuro couldn't help but break his poker face.

"You're welcome,"

Their first stop was a bit unexpected because Momoi was captivated by the animals' cuteness. It was a large, grassy plain that was full of prairie dogs that were scampering about and popping their heads in and out to observe their surroundings. She wished that she could pet them. The pink-haired girl immediately ran to the gate, cooing at their adorable features. Kuroko was not too far behind her, and settled for standing to her right. Everyone followed after the shadow, not really caring about what they were doing as long as they were with him.

"Tetsu-kun, look how cute they are!" Satsuki grinned in delight. "I can't really tell which ones are boys and girls though."

"The information box says that they had just finished mating season, so most of the females are probably pregnant and the males are losing body-mass due to giving more food to them." Kuroko explained. Suddenly, Kuroko and pregnant made the young woman think of the future. She never really thought about children, such as when and how many if she would, but she knew that if she did that it would have to be with Kuroko. The phantom was the first man she ever loved. Sure, there were times when she had crushes on boys in the past but no one was like Kuroko. Boys were rough, and made her feel insignificant…

"_You want to play basketball with me?" The boy asked. Momoi nodded with a faint blush on her cheeks. She had mustered up enough courage to talk to a boy in her class that she had a crush on for weeks._

"_Yes, I thought it would be fun. We both like basketball, so I thought we could play a game one-on-one." She beamed at him._

"_I don't think it would be fun. I'm pretty good. Also, your boobs are too big for you to play basketball." Why was everyone so concerned about her breasts? The fourth grade girl just developed early; it was not her fault that she was barely nine and god gave her C-cups at the start of puberty. "Maybe you should try out for a manager position."_

"_Please? If nothing else, so that I can watch you play up close?" The pink haired girl asked. Momoi thought that if she impressed him, he would like her more. The boy sighed but nodded. He made a mental note to not play at his best so he did not crush her._

_Barely thirty minutes in, and the boy that Momoi looked up to adoringly was exhausted and down twenty points. He glared down at her, his gaze almost murderous. _

"_I quit! I'm going home!" The young lady did not know where she went wrong. She thought that people who loved each other did things together, and shared common interests. Why was he so upset? There was something that she was missing to this. Momoi's mother and father would not give their daughter bad advice on purpose. Perhaps there was something that she did not understand._

_And she didn't until years later._

_Of course her parents' advice did not work, for they were speaking on the behalf of a man and a woman's relationship._

_She was just a girl then that fell in love with a boy. A boy that thought she was not worth as much as someone else just because she had breasts, and was disappointed when his hypothesis was proven wrong._

_But Tetsuya never thought that. He valued her greatly and always spoke in the gentlest tone possible to make sure she felt safe. Every time Momoi cried or was frustrated, in Kuroko's arms the world felt still and everything that was out to get her could not penetrate their fortress. Kuroko Tetsuya was a man, and he acted like one. It made Momoi determined that she would become a woman fit enough to be with him, instead of a little girl that he shielded from harm._

_Mrs. Kuroko Tetsuya sounded wonderful._

_Now if only she could cook…_

"Momoi-san, are you okay? You made Aomine-kun a little mad because he was trying to talk to you." Kuroko asked and pointed at her fuming best friend. She blushed and consoled Daiki, apologizing for not paying attention because she was thinking. "What were you thinking about Momoi-san? At first in your daze you looked quite sad, and then became happy again."

"Nothing really, just that I am happy to have met a man like Tetsu-kun." Satsuki said. Cotton Candy Pink stared at Milky Blue, not really knowing what else to say.

"Momoi-san, I am not eighteen yet. I am not a man technically."

"To me, you are!"

There were not that many animals in this part of the zoo, for prairie animals needed more open space to be comfortable. While they past some camels, peacocks, and goats, the group were not fixated on any particular animal until they stumbled onto the grizzly bears.

"Whoa, those things are huge!" Hiroshi exclaimed as he ran to the glass wall to get a closer look. The other Seirin first years joined him, marveling at the creatures' monstrous size and beauty. It's thick, brown fur glistening with water droplets after it dove into the water in its designated area and caught a fish, was still not enough to hide the brown bear's healthy, giant muscles. It was an intimidating animal.

"It is pretty cool." Kise awed. Even Midorima nodded acknowledgement for his fascination for the creature.

While everyone was preoccupied by the broad, heavy bear, Kuroko was struggling to find a spot to glimpse at the creature. It was at times like this that he wished he possessed Akashi's Emperor Eyes or Takao's Hawk Eyes to see past all these people. As he was about to give up, Kuroko was lifted off the ground and against Murisakibara's chest. The snack-fiend had put his cookies into his backpack that he brought that day, and carried the phantom like his bride. Kuroko brushed some of the lavender hair away from his face, getting tickled by the softness. He did not mind being held by the other boy, because Murisakibara always made sure that his arms were securely around Kuroko and on provided pressure where it was needed. Both teens went up to the cage, and using the advantage of Atsushi's height Kuroko saw a magnificent view of the bear playing with a rolling rock.

"Thank you Murisakibara-kun, the bear looks so pleased with that rock."

"You're welcome Kurochin, but can I have a kiss as a thank you as well?" Kuroko wrapped his arms around the giant's neck and leaned in to give him a kiss on the lips. The childish teen smiled against the ghostly basketball player's lips, never wanting to let go. While he and Kuroko never got along well when it came to basketball, no could deny that they had a large amount of chemistry off the court. Sometimes Murisakibara's youthful behavior also meant childish ignorance and lack of restraint, but Kuroko appreciated just how gentle the other could be. Warm, overpowering, and dangerous, and yet the man that towered over two meters cradled the apparition-like teenager with the care of a glass ornament and sweeping his lips over his as if Kuroko was a delicacy that needed to be handled with great restraint for fear of running out. "Kurochin, I love you." The violet teen said frankly, as if he were stating two plus two equals four. It still was endearing, because Kuroko knew that Murisakibara thought of it as a fact.

"I love you very much Murisakibara-kun,"

"Do I have to put you down? I like holding you…" The gargantuan boy whined. Murisakibara glanced down to see Akashi looking at the two. "Akachin, do you want something?"

"No, I was just going to say you are hindering any exercise for Tetsuya today if you carry him all day. I do not think Tetsuya would like such a thing Atsushi." The red head said with no malice. The purple teen nodded and kneeled down so that he could let Kuroko out of his arms safely.

Next was the attraction that Kuroko wanted to see most. The majestic, family-oriented gray wolves were found in North America and his parents when working overseas would bring back pictures, books, and other forms of media about these animals. In a way, these ancestors of dogs were a part of his family.

"Do you still have those books?" Aomine asked.

"Yes, I do."

"You know, at first when Akashi and Kise suggested this trip, I didn't really want to come. But I must admit looking at these creatures makes me wonder."

"Wonder what Aomine-kun?" The shadow asked.

"All of these animals have their own strengths, and if you were to put any of them in a fight against each other you wouldn't really know who would win. Sure, the Gray Wolf is a fierce warrior, but it is because of the bond it has with others that they are such a dominating force in nature. A bear can surely fight off an abandoned rogue. How do scientists measure such a thing? They say that wolves are the top predator, only second to man but there is no point system, and no one takes into account that they are social animals and that perhaps their teamwork is their reason of control of their territory versus their actual strength. It is confusing…" The tan teen wondered.

"Why are you so sure a rogue wolf will be beaten by a bear Daiki?" Akashi asked.

"Akashi-kun is right. Perhaps a rogue wolf instead of being abandoned and left to die, may find another pack and their own strength." Kuroko added.

"Don't gang up on me; I was just saying what came to mind. I didn't actually think that hard." The Touou ace argued. The phantom sighed and held his dark-skinned boyfriend's hand.

"I did not think you would remember that I liked them."

"Of course I did Tetsu, my memory isn't that bad." It gave the sixth man hope for what he prayed would happen. Perhaps Aomine had not forgotten what it was like for them to be so close, late nights of practicing and almost getting caught by the security guards of the school, enjoying victory together as if they were one person, and celebrating those victories at the convenience store close to Teiko Middle School. "Hey Tetsu, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because you're an idiot," Before Aomine could yell back Kuroko yanked the other down to his level and sealed his lips with a kiss. The taller man leaned more so that he was more comfortable kissing his smaller boyfriend, wrapping both of his arms around the thin waist. Daiki breathed deeply, he could still smell the faint scent of vanilla-hazelnut in Tetsuya's hair. He missed his shadow's presence, the sensation of being complete and feeling content was there again. So tight and yet so powerful was their bond, something that made the rest of the Generation of Miracles envious of.

"Kuroko-kun, uh… we're about to leave this exhibit…" Hiroshi mentioned to the kissing pair. Aomine growled while kissing the aquamarine teen and flipped Kuroko's teammate the bird. Kuroko rolled his eyes and slapped the offending hand down before pulling away from his light. "Sorry! It's just that everyone kind of volunteered me to be the one to tell you guys…"

"It is okay Fukuda-kun, let's go." The phantom said.

They past the artic foxes and the other animals in the Western Continent area, but nothing excited anyone to stay for more than a couple minutes. It was decided that after they went to the new, exotic, Philippines exhibit, everyone would grab something to eat to refuel.

As they were getting closer the new attraction, the Generation of Miracles and Momoi saw a familiar face. A strong, stern one that had those same commanding eyes and they would be paralyzed into obeying when they were first years in Middle School. His dark, jet-black hair never changed, the former Teiko student always kept it parted to the side, but the tall man had gotten even taller than when he resigned. The Teiko Captain was now 195 centimeters tall, and his martial arts history shined through in his impressive muscles.

"C-Captain Nijimura…" Aomine awed.

"Hey, I'm not your Captain anymore Aomine." Nijimura rolled his eyes.

"What are you doing here Nijimura-san?" Midorima asked.

"Yeah, you just disappeared Nijichin," Murisakibara added. The teen that was well-respected shrugged.

"Ah, well after I appointed Akashi as the Captain, I focused on school so that I could help my father. I was able to graduate High School within a year, and now I'm a college student at Tokyo University. I work here to pay for school." Nijimura answered. While the Generation of Miracles instantly flocked around the elder man, their companions were confused and frightened. A man that Akashi respected to this extent has got to be scary… "I heard that all of you were going to Teiko Academy, even Kuroko. I'm very proud of you. By the way, where is Kuroko?"

"I have been here this whole time sempai," Their former captain yelped and turned to see that Kuroko was indeed beside Kise and Aomine.

"You're still as sneaky as ever. Ha!" Shuzo grinned and rested a hand on his shoulders. "I am especially proud of you Kuroko. You have really exceeded my expectations. I also work as a part-time coach for basketball, so I might come to Teiko as a guest. Let's play sometime."

"Yes, I would like that." Kuroko smiled and placed his warm hand over Nijimura's larger one. They stared at each other with admiration. Despite wanting to give a good-bye kiss to the older man, both knew that it would be unprofessional due to him working. "Bye Nijimura-sempai,"

"Good bye Kuroko, everyone, and enjoy yourselves. It is nice out." He said before going back to his duties.

After that, the large group entered the artificial bio dome…

"My goodness, it's a freaking sauna in this place!" Kagami yelled.

"My god, he's right. Shin-chan, I don't understand why you aren't melting…" Takao whined. Midorima rolled his eyes, but he too was feeling uncomfortable (his pride made him refuse to use the keepsake fan). The temporary exhibit needed to be like this, for the tropical animals were not used to temperate weather. Some of their lives even depended on the heat. It was not the zoo's fault that they had to meet to the animals standards otherwise they would die from shock. The only one that was not sweating was Akashi. When asked about this, the red head merely said something about being used to the weather due to travel abroad with his father.

"You always have to be different Akachin." Murisakibara sighed.

They walked around the lovely bio dome, impressed by the zoo's attention to detail. The tropical plants that were lush and almost bursting out of the exhibit to touch the guests, the waterfall that sent waves of rushing water out of the spout continuously, and even the pathway everyone was walking on reminded them of an unexplored path that was going deeper into the jungle, were all well thought-out and clearly had the visitors in mind. It was hard to see some of the animals due to most of the birds being allowed to roam the canopies above freely without a cage restricting them, but it made the experience of entering the Philippines (while still being in Tokyo) real.

"Hey, we can feed these things." Furihata pointed out. The creatures that they allowed the visitors interaction with were the Philippine Tarsiers, some of the smallest primates in the world and everyone had mixed reactions to them.

The tiny monkeys were about ten centimeters long, with half of that length being their tail. Their large eyes, the largest in comparison to its body of any other mammal, had a sleepy expression because they were nocturnal animals, and their dark brown coat was fuzzy and rough in texture similar to Velcro. They were the definition of something that was both ugly and cute at the same time. They were huddled together as they slept, but once a visitor handed them a cricket they little monkeys immediately rose from their slumber and pounced on the fresh meal. The way the tore and ripped through the struggling bug made their ugly-cute dynamic lean even more towards the ugly side.

"Huh, they are pretty fierce for such puny things." Koichi noted. The Seirin freshman grabbed a plastic, disposable tongs and used it to snatch a cricket from the bucket provided. When he brought it close to the tarsiers, the primates jumped onto the plastic tongs and fought over the meal. Kawahara did not know what to do, because he was quite frightened of the tiny primates becoming violent towards him, but he did not want to harm them by dropping the tongs. Once every bloody drop of cricket body parts and guts were eaten, the tarsiers got tired once more and climbed to the trees to rest. "Huh, that wasn't so bad. I just don't think they're everyone's cup-of-tea."

The group meandered through the tropical exhibit further, looking at lizards, small mammals, and other things that they would never be able to see again. Eventually the majority of them got used to the heat and clawing air, except for one.

"Excuse me, but we have to leave." Akashi said. When everyone turned to the Rakuzan Captain, they saw Kuroko cradled in the slightly taller teen's arms, flushed and tired. Everyone immediately ran out of the artificial, humid environment to get the small teen to safety, and was relieved to feel the breezy air again.

"I'm sorry everyone," Kuroko sighed. Fukuda shook his head.

"No Kuroko, it is okay. We were all miserable in there. It probably would have been better if we brought some water bottles before going in." Hiroshi reassured his fellow Seirin member.

"Yes Tetsuya, listen to your friend. We should get something to eat. It is very late and we did not eat lunch." Akashi said still holding his fragile shadow. Kuroko nodded. "Let us go to the café in the middle of the park. It should have vanilla milkshakes on their menus."

"Poor Tetsu-kun, are you going to be okay?" Momoi worried.

"Do not worry Satsuki. As long as we get him something to drink, he should be fine."

Just as the commanding teen said, Kuroko felt better right away after he drank some of his milkshake that Akashi ordered for him. Everyone scolded the light-blue boy for not saying anything further, but the transparent teen really wanted to see the unique animals.

Lunch time felt good for everyone, but Kagami and Murisakibara took this opportunity to the extreme. Both piled several foods onto their plate, Kagami mostly focusing on large, steaming meals while Murisakibara had one large meal and several snacks to go with it. To normal people, the amount of food they had would feed ten! The two looked each other in the eye and sparks flew. A challenge was born and the two had a gorging battle. Midorima almost gagged at the unsightly images of purple, and red and black furiously trying to beat the other.

"This is ridiculous…" Akashi grumbled before taking a bite out of his chicken sandwich. "Tetsuya, are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes Akashi-kun, and thank you once again for thinking about me." Seiijuro wiped his mouth and gave a kiss to the milky blue man on the top of his head.

"You are always in my thoughts." The Captain of Rakuzan said before he continued eating. "Unfortunately Tetsuya, we do have a time limit on this trip. I am expecting an important email from my father at six, which means I want to leave thirty minutes before then. I hope that does not trouble you."

"Not at all Akashi-kun and thank you for spending time with me despite having so many duties." Kuroko understood.

"You know, I used to think that you guys were so mismatched but I cannot help but think you guys are kind of cute together." Takao noted to them while he ate. "Akashi seems to really care about Tet-chan, and he seems genuinely sad when he doesn't spend time with you Tet-chan. When he's like that, he isn't so scary and mean." Akashi raised his eyebrow at the statement.

"You do realize that I am human? While I am guaranteed victory and my words are never wrong, I am indeed human." Seiijuro said, sounding very annoyed.

"Akashi-kun, you can be intimidating." Takao laughed at Kuroko's bluntness.

The animal area closest to the cafeteria was the lions' den. Akashi held onto Kuroko to make sure that the ghostly teen was not going to become dizzy again. They marveled at the regal kings of Africa, gazing at the luxurious fur and powerful expressions. The big cats were lying on the rocks, staring at the humans that were observing them.

"Do you think they are as curious about us as we are of them?" The transparent ex-teammate asked his former Captain.

"Wouldn't you if you were an animal? As I said, humans are strange creatures." Akashi answered honestly. He found a small spot by the glass barrier, and pulled the phantom into it with him. "Now we can see them up close." The red head put his hand on the clear barrier that shielded them from being ripped to death, almost as if he was challenging the majestic lion. The lion stared at the boy's eyes that were two different colors, staring down at the small man. When he sniffed the glass, everyone froze except Akashi. The Rakuzan Captain just cocked an eyebrow at the creature's arrogance. The lion sniffed once more before he lowered his head down and pressed his forehead against the glass, as if he wanted Akashi to pet him.

"Oh wow… even the kings of the animal kingdom bow to Akashicchi…" Kise awed.

"Akashi-kun, I think I am better now." Kuroko said to the distracted teen. The slightly taller teen nodded and retracted his hands both from the phantom's hand and the glass. Everyone looked at the red head nervously, not knowing whether or not they wanted to ask questions about what just happened.

"Kurokocchi, what just… I don't even know what to ask… That was amazing. That beautiful creature and Akashicchi… just wow!" The blonde tried to ask his shorter boyfriend. Kuroko shrugged.

"To be honest, I am not sure what happened either. I don't know whether I witnessed a meeting of two equals, or if the lion was trying to show submission to Akashi-kun. But Kise-kun, I have something to say." The expressionless teen wagged for the fashion model to lower his head until his ear was less than a centimeter away from Kuroko's mouth. "You're much more beautiful than any lion. You know that, right?" Kise blushed. He was not used to compliments from the quiet boy. He felt his heart beating obnoxiously against his rib cage, threatening to burst out. The model did not know whether to cover his red face or try to control the storm in his chest.

"Thank you Kurokocchi," Kise sighed. When Ryouta turned to face his beloved Tetsuya, he saw that the phantom had already left with the group, leaving him blushing and awkwardly leaning forward like an idiot. "Kurokocchi, you're so mean! You just left me here!" The blonde cried and raced back to the group.

Takao's favorite animals, the elephants, were sent to Stockholm's zoo temporarily. Midorima's roommate groaned in annoyance, for he really wanted to see the large creatures. He wanted to pet them and watch them interact with each other. Sure, they were not as physically attractive as the lions they had seen, elephants were very intelligent and just as (or even more so) dangerous as the fierce lion.

It was not until the Hawk-Eye specialist felt two pale arms wrapped around him to calm his bad mood down, did Kazunari shush his anger. Kuroko was hugging him to make him feel better. Since Akashi was there glaring at the Shuutoku player, Takao asked his friend if he could hug back (always get permission). When he was given the green light, Takao gleefully cheered and held the passing specialist so that one arm was around lower back and the other was resting on his friend's shoulders.

"You're so cute Tet-chan,"

"I just wanted to make you feel better. You seemed really upset that we didn't get to see the elephants." The baby-blue boy said with his usual monotone.

"Well I definitely needed that. Thanks for being so adorable Tet-chan!" Kuroko did not like being called cute, but he would forgive the Shuutoku rival due to him being upset earlier. "Ah, but at least you got to see the wolves. I should be glad that you were happy." Takao declared.

"I think Takao-kun had every right to be upset. You really wanted to see them." Kuroko corrected the other. Takao shook his head and ended the audible part of their conversation by nuzzling his face into the soft, wispy hairs.

"Hey… you want to go out to Maji Burger on Friday night? It'll be just the two of us and my treat." Midorima's dorm-mate whispered. Takao made sure that his mouth was not in Akashi's view. "Just hug tighter if you want to." Kuroko held the taller teen and squeezed slightly harder, making Takao grin. He could not wait for some alone time for the cute, teal-haired boy.

"I think you have been hugging Tetsuya for long enough. You cannot possibly be that upset not seeing large, gray masses." Akashi stated. Kazunari let go of the precious phantom, satisfying the Rakuzan Captain.

The large group past by polar bears, komodo dragons, giraffes, zebras, hawks, and other fantastic creatures. Midorima would sometimes pick up Kuroko so that he could see (at least that was what he would tell himself and anyone who asked), but the sky-blue teen did his best to not express too much affection towards his boyfriends and girlfriend for the rest of the trip. While he knew his teammates did not mind his sexuality, but they were very polite and sometimes did not alert the unaware Kuroko that they were upset or uncomfortable.

Time past by quickly, and soon everyone was feeling exhausted by the long day. It did not take nearly as long to get back to the entrance of the zoo, as it did to explore the park and its animals. Just as they were about to take the bus, Himuro remembered something.

"Ah, Kuroko-kun, would you mind waiting for the next one with me? I want my chain back so I can put my ring on it safely."

"I can give it to you on the bus."

"Well, I don't want to accidentally drop the ring when I put it back on. It was something that Taiga and I have to symbolize that we're brothers. It's very important to me…" Himuro sighed, his lips forming a tiny smile at the old days (at least that is what Kuroko thought). Knowing what it was like to hold onto things very precious, Kuroko nodded and told the others he would wait with the gloomy teen. Akashi sighed but let the phantom did as he pleased, for the red head needed to make sure he was home in time for his father's emails. While normally, everyone would want to wait for the beloved shadow, there was homework that still needed to be done and so they left the two alone at the bus stop and got onto the giant vehicle. Takao was the last to board the bus, and he gave a secret thumbs up to Himuro before slipping into an empty seat. Himuro's small smile turned into a smirk.

Both teens watched to bus leave for their Academy, their eyes following it until the bus went down the hill and out of sight.

"Would you mind if I take it off for you? The chain is pretty old too, so I want to make sure it won't break." Kuroko nodded and bent his head down so that his friend got a better look. Himuro's fingers danced over the nape of Kuroko's neck, making the dark-haired teen sweat. His sensitive finger tips brushed against the smooth skin made electricity run through him. "You know Kuroko, I really had fun today. And even though I have barely known you for a week, I feel like my life has already become better now that you are a part of it." The chain was unclasped and Himuro carefully released the plush toy and handed it to the phantom player.

"I like you too Himuro-kun."

"I know that you already have several boyfriends and girlfriend who adore you, but I know I would regret it if I did not say this. I wanted to be alone when I say it that's why I asked for you to stay behind... I have feelings for you Kuroko, and I want to go on a date with you Thursday night if you aren't busy." Tatsuya confessed as he fixed the ring back into its place on the chain. Now he understood why all those women would do this through a letter; confessions in the flesh made his body feel like it was about to collapse.

"Sure," What? Really? "I would like to go on a date with Himuro-kun." The Yosen student grinned and pulled Kuroko to his chest.

"You don't know how happy this makes me."

* * *

Next chapter will be on Kuroko's three dates that week (Kasakuro, Himukuro, and Takakuro). Hope you enjoyed this and sorry for it being so long! It was actually longer and I had to cut some parts because... it was over 12,000 words...


	5. Chapter 5 Kuroko's Dates

**Summary**: Kuroko's three dates with Kasamatsu, Himuro, and Takao!

**Notes**:  
1. I thought I always make sure that everyone knows the days these dates happen so that no one is confused as to when or where they are.  
2. There is some HanaKuro… I promise it is brief but I could not help myself. Now I am going to have to write some when they have a match against each other too. The mess I make because I want to add even more ships…

Thank you everyone for your support! Urgh, why is this so long?!

**Word Count**: 8,084 Words

* * *

Tuesday's date was during lunch period.

Kuroko wished that his time with the Kaijou Captain was not as short as it was, but the elder teen had the responsibilities as a Captain, college was looming over his head, and Kasamatsu still needed time for him to be alone. It would be unfair for Kuroko to try to monopolize the senior's time knowing all these things, but there was still a part of him that yearned to be around Kasamatsu often. He felt a connection to Yukio that he had not really experienced with other people. He was a man of hard work, constantly honing his body and skill, improving his technique, and it was because of this that he has succeeded as far as he had rather than talent. It was something that really spoke to Kuroko, the sixth man of the Generation of Miracles, who was not especially great at basketball. The phantom had to discover his own style that really was about working with the scattered teammates around him rather than his individual talent like the others.

Since the sixth man had less than fifty minutes to enjoy with Kasamatsu, as soon as _Advanced Japanese I_ ended the phantom utilized his misdirection and newly gained stamina (thanks to Coaches Alex and Riko) and was able to arrive at the Campus-owned theatre in six minutes. The crisp, morning air still clung to the air, revealing little puffs of exasperated breathing from the shadow player. He tried to still his heavy breathing, not wanting to express such weakness during a first date.

The shadow scanned the crowd for spiky hair and hard, steel eyes, not wanting to miss any time because of his unfortunate invisibility. The Captain came within a minute later, lightly jogging because he was not wearing his sneakers. The golden light of the sun peeking through the darkening clouds illuminated Yukio, making him appear like a surreal, beautiful figure running towards the phantom than a young man that was just preparing himself for college. Seirin's passing specialist looked down at Kasamatsu's feet again, seeing that the senior chose to wear black, leather oxfords to match his attire. Kuroko felt flattered that the senior tried to dress up for their date, despite having to wear a school uniform during class time.

"Kasamatsu-sempai," The Seirin first year called out. Once they made eye contact the elder man rushed towards him. "Hello Kasamatsu-sempai, today's movie seems interesting according to the promotional poster." Kuroko said pointing at the theatre's laminated poster. There was a man at a desk, his brows furrowed in worry on the image.

"Yes, I believe it won an Oscar when it came out in 1975." As they were walking inside though, Yukio remembered to point out something. "I hope you realize that you don't have to keep adding the honorific 'sempai' every time you address me. Yukio is probably more suitable for our date."

"I will try but it is a bit awkward Ka- Yukio-san." Kuroko corrected, peeved that he had already messed up. "You may call me by whatever pleases you." The phantom made a mental note that if he were to go on a date with Imayoshi Shoichi to never utter that sentence around him. Knowing the man and his love of mind-games, his chosen nicknames for Kuroko would be a combination of embarrassment and sexual harassment.

Kasamatsu ordered the tickets for the short film _Visas and Virtue_ and popcorn for his date. Kuroko was even impressed by the elder, dark-haired man remembering to sprinkle some vanilla powder to give it a sweet taste.

When asked by the shadow (after they had found good seats) if Kasamatsu went on dates often, the Kaijou Captain confessed that this was the first one he had been on and had been given advice by his team members. Kuroko was then introduced to multiple, embarrassing stories that had a combination of Moriyama, Kise, and the other regulars finding out about their Captain's mystery date (they could not extract any information from the stern leader other than that his date was with another man) due to Kasamatsu worrying about not knowing how to date someone in the empty locker room (which he later found was not). Eventually the whole mess evolved to the peculiar, basketball regulars randomly giving advice and the concerned, elder man picking and choosing the sane, logical advice out of the sea of perverse and plain stupidity that his teammates said to amuse themselves.

"That Kise was the most annoying. You would think a guy as popular with women as he is, would actually know what he was talking about." Ah, Kasamatsu still did not know that Kise did not date women seriously or was dating Kuroko. Kuroko was a bit surprised that Kise never pointed the phantom out as his boyfriend to the Captain, but perhaps it was a good thing for now. The ghostly teen shrugged.

"Life can be deceiving. I thought someone as handsome as Yukio-san would have gone on a date before today." Kasamatsu's bright blush could be seen in the darkness of the room.

"You are not one to restrain yourself from saying what is on your mind, are you?" The elder asked the powder-blue boy, knowing the frank answer that was coming.

"Yes, I find it leads to less confusion." Kuroko said before intertwining his fingers with the shy man. "I am glad to be spending this time with Yukio-san. I hope that we're able to find a time for future dates that don't have such a time constraint." The transparent teen said with a small smile before the movie began. Kasamatsu nodded, feeling his tongue becoming numb. Kuroko was not something he was used to. Kuroko was a pale, almost sickening beautiful boy, with delicate features and mesmerizing eyes. He was not vibrant, boastful, or trying to grab anyone's attention, but once he noticed the shadow, it seemed like the world around them intensified. As odd as he knew it was, the Kaijou Captain felt that his smile had magnified, he had more energy to perform his duties, and it became less taxing dealing with his annoyances. Beautiful, both in physique and influence, and Yukio did not know what to think other than he did not want to leave.

The film was only about twenty-seven minutes in length, but it was the shortened time that intensified the plot and its importance. Both boys were fascinated by history and films based on those events, and were marveled by the accuracy and the pacing of the events. All those lives saved by the hard work of one man, working eighteen to twenty-two hours a day writing illegal visas to save the Jewish population in Lithuania. It was a powerful piece, and it deserved the awards it earned during the year it was released.

As it neared the end, Kuroko leaned his head against Kasamatsu's shoulder and gave the larger hand a comforting squeeze. Instantly, Kuroko felt the slight swelling of the elder man's hands. Kasamatsu was practicing earlier just like he was. The milky-blue teen sighed, glad to find a refuge in a soul that understood.

Those thin, fine hairs felt cool against Yukio's nervous neck but the older teenager could not part from the shadow. The hard-working Captain could not stop a pleased smile reaching the surface and restrained himself from kissing the much younger boy. The phantom was nothing like his hectic team; Yukio could relax, catch his breath, and forget the stress that came with being a leader to so many in the seclusion of being in the theatre with Kuroko. He could not repress himself from thinking selfishly, that they should just skip classes and spend the day like this, against each other and hearing the soft breathing patterns of the other.

The lights came back on as the film's credits began. They did not want to leave their comfortable position so both stayed where they were.

"By the way, I think our coaches arranged a practice match between our dorms. I hope you are ready, Tetsuya-kun… and know that no matter the outcome; I still want another moment like this." Kasamatsu declared.

"It would not be fun unless you were playing your best. When everyone is on the court, we think of basketball. Only when we're outside are we allowed to concentrate on other things." Kuroko lifted his head up and swiftly leaned in to capture the older teen's lips. Kasamatsu stilled. He remembered the blonde idiot on his team saying something about a first kiss, but the Captain thought that might have been too forward for a first date. Yet here he was, in a public area, getting kissed by a younger man. Kuroko briefly pulled away, only to tilt his head and come back for another. Not wanting to be beat by his kouhai; Yukio lifted the arm rest between them and firmly grasped the smaller teen so that they were chest to chest.

They continued this exchange, feeling the adrenaline of the future match running through them already and neither wanted to break away from the challenge. The phantom's toned arms wrapped around Kasamatsu's neck, steadying his body for more. Yukio smirked and tightened his grip on the lean phantom before sneaking another kiss.

"I won't lose, as myself and as Seirin." Kuroko whispered.

"Neither will I," The Kaijou Captain hissed back and crushed their lips together. They could feel their uniforms becoming too warm, constricting, and were practically tearing each other's shirt collars. Tetsuya groaned against the dark-haired man's lips, feeling his body quake, give into the passion and forget about their competition. Yukio pulled away only to suck in the plump, swollen bottom lip, asking the other for another step further. Just as Kuroko's tongue was about to reciprocate, they were interrupted.

"Um… we need to get prepared for the next showing..." A nervous janitor told them.

Kasamatsu immediately pulled away from the younger boy, his high cheekbones and nose were glowing hot, and his lips still tinging from the sensation of harshly kissing his date. He lost control over himself and almost molested Kuroko in the movie theatre! Both of them excused themselves and left the cinema; the Kaijou captain was still embarrassed over what had occurred. Kuroko did not seem fazed by the elder man, but inside he was rather annoyed. The phantom did not want to stop his advances toward the elder teen, especially since he knew the other was so polite, and did not step outside of that zone very often.

Once they were both outside, Yukio furiously apologized to Tetsuya. Kasamatsu knew that as the older one that he had more power in this relationship and it was unacceptable to take advantage of Kuroko. It would be a different matter if they had been going out for several weeks, but this was only a first date and already both of them were fired up for something, wanting to cross a line that should not have been reaching today. The Kaijou senior could feel heat pooling in his groin and his mind was racing with thoughts of Kuroko underneath him, begging in a soft, raspy voice, and his pale, ivory skin radiant with sweat. The shadow was just too young for such things.

"I don't care; I liked kissing Yukio-san."

"I enjoyed it too Tetsuya-kun, but I am much older. I do not want to push you into something you aren't ready for." Kasamatsu's eyes hardened, for he did not want to lose his head again. Kuroko gave him a signature blank stare in return. It was so hard to tell what the other was thinking, so it surprised the elder man when the light-blue boy pulled him down for another kiss. The usually soft, pale teen was unshakable in his actions, pressing firmly against Kasamatsu to make his intentions with the Kaijou senior clear.

"If you are saying that I am the one dictating the pace, then we would have done much more today." The phantom said. Kuroko checked his watch and left the dazed but happy Captain standing there, red, embarrassed, and stuttering. The diligent, first year could not help feeling pleased by the flustered expression.

It was nothing compared to Kagami's reaction to Thursday's date.

On that afternoon, Kagami heard three curt knocks on the door about an hour after their practice had ended. The hot-blooded basketball player wondered who would be here at this hour until his phantom teammate rushed out of the restroom freshly showered and fully dressed.

The shadow's new light rolled his eyes; the apparition-like teen always had a date. Whether it was during his lunch break or after practice, Kuroko's time was tilled up to the brim. It was odd to Kagami, because Kuroko had such little stamina. He knew the determined, basketball fanatic would wake up early to practice, play during his free period, and would continue to push himself thirty minutes past the actual time to practice (usually Taiga would stay behind to practice then as well), and yet he had enough energy to balance six lovers and school. The fierce teenager knew he would crock if that was the life he lived. He needed to eat, breath, and sleep basketball, and while Kuroko was dating those who loved the sport as much as he did, it would still be distracting. In a way, Kagami theorized that the phantom, sixth man of the Generation of Miracles was a monster just like the company that he kept around him.

"Hello Himuro-kun, please wait for me to get my wallet and then we can go." Tatsuya? Kagami scrambled out of his lounging position and saw his older brother figure dressed in casual, but date appropriate clothes, and saying hi to his roommate. The light-blue teen rushed to his school bag, retrieving his black wallet while Kagami watched his horror his brother staring at Kuroko's small frame. Oh god…

"Tatsuya! You're… you're Kuroko's date? But, you have so many girls dying to go out with you, and Kuroko has five boyfriends and a girlfriend already!" The wild looking man asked. Himuro nodded. "When did you start dating? Why didn't you tell me you lousy roommate, that you were dating my brother?" Kagami burst and did not know who to direct his feelings of surprise and shock toward.

"Kagami-kun, Himuro-kun asked me out during the trip to the zoo when we stayed behind for the next bus. This is our first date. I did not know you wanted to know such things about us. I will update you with statuses if you desire so." Kuroko said blankly. Himuro chuckled at the phantom's suggestion, especially since it led to the hot-headed, younger brother of the two to stand there with his mouth open, completely speechless.

"… What?" Taiga finally spoke.

"It is true Taiga," Himuro defended. "I did not mean to hurt you by not telling you. I just thought that my relationship with Kuroko was not of your concern." Kagami sighed. He was not angry that his friends were dating, but deeply concerned that Tatsuya had not concerned the dangers he was getting into.

"Just be cautious Tatsuya, for I don't know if I could help you fight off all of Kuroko's boyfriends. And his girlfriend does not seem like a lightweight either," The Japanese-American warned Himuro. The tall, Yosen player rolled his eyes. The signs of their strained relationship were showing. Himuro never liked how Kagami treated him once the rebellious-looking teen got a growth spurt and became the longer of the two. The "elder" brother pride was not something that Tatsuya took lightly, and he disliked the way Taiga seemed to question his feelings and intelligence when addressing him this way. Before the dark-haired teen could spit venom back at his "little" brother, he felt a hand jab him in the stomach. Kuroko!

"I know what you were about to do Himuro-kun, and that is absolutely rude. Kagami-kun is just concerned about you. You are not his sempai and he is not your kouhai. You are the same age; you are brothers." Those eyes that were usually so cold were menacing and almost burning hot. The aura Kuroko was projecting made the basketball prodigy shiver. If he were not on the receiving end of that deadly gaze and fighting response, Himuro would have found it extremely sexy. Knowing that Kuroko's patience for him was running thin, the Yosen first year grabbed his date's arm, greeted Kagami good bye, and briskly left the shared dorm room. "Himuro-kun, you are hurting my arm." Kuroko sighed. Himuro apologized to his date, releasing his arm slowly so that it did not snap back to hit the shorter man. Today should not be about his irritation with Taiga, but about having fun with Kuroko.

"So Kuroko-kun, have you been to a circus before?" He changed the topic so that it was not as uncomfortable. He slowed his steps so that Kuroko could keep up with his pace.

"Once when I was young, but I do not remember it in vivid detail. There were bright colors, and I was happy, but not much else comes to mind." The phantom paused; he recalled something odd. "Himuro-kun, I'm curious. If Midorima-kun had not given me his lucky item, how would have you stalled me from the bus? I do not remember you buying anything."

"Ah, I would have bought you something and then let you borrow my necklace that way. When your boyfriend who is obsessed with horoscopes gave you his item, he became an unknowing accomplice in my plan." Himuro explained. "You don't know how nervous I was when I was talking about it with Takao the night before. But he was so confident in his plan, boldly asking you out with Akashi possibly catching him that I did not want to falter on mine. Basketball players are competitive in nature." The appealing, princely teen laughed.

"I noticed." Kuroko said remembering his date with Kasamatsu. Wanting to focus on his time with Himuro, Kuroko changed the subject. "What circus is in town? I thought that Kinoshita was in Osaka today."

"No, it is a new circus from the United States. They are trying to promote animal cruelty-free entertainment, so they created a circus that has no lions, elephants, or any animal performers. I was curious as to how exciting such an event could be, and if it can compete with the nostalgia that the traditional circuses have. If you would like to go somewhere else, we can. It is up to you." The invisible teen shook his head. He did not care what he did on a date, as long as he was in the company of a good person like Himuro.

The bus came quickly for the quiet boys. The spring-sweet scent and the threat of rain made everything blur for the duo. The vague, seamless minutes that they sat holding each other's hands were almost like a surreal dream sequence. Being along, cruising casually in the giant vehicle, staying so silent and still that they could feel the pang and rhythm of the other person's heart was like another world formed in the universe. They were secure in this barrier, made of thick walls of sparkling glass that made their vision clouded with enchantment. It was hard to believe that Tetsuya and Tatsuya had only known each other for ten day; this effortless and fluid transition into this state seemed like something that would take a long time. Something between growing old lovers that completed each other's sentences and mused breathy words of adoration as if they were the laws of the land.

"Your shoulder is comfortable." Kuroko comments when he lowers his head against the other man's body.

"I am glad." The poker face was there, but softer and diluted by the hull of the moment. "You fit beautifully against me. I feel no discomfort at all." Himuro sighed honestly, feeling his usual defenses lowering.

"I was thinking the same thing." The phantom said. He felt a smile creeping into his face, but was honestly too relaxed to follow through the action. "How long we it take, until we get there?"

"Only twenty minutes from now. Don't worry about the time. While the show does start at 6:30pm, I bought the tickets online so we don't have to wait in line. It seemed like a popular event, so I did not want to leave anything to chance." Himuro assured.

Iconic white and red stripes on the enormous tent's designs made the pair elated. The thick fabric barely blew in the breeze, retaining the traditional shape. There were several people in line who were desperately trying to squeeze into the packed show and others in elaborate and ornate costumes that were standing against the tent, vigorously chattering excitedly among themselves. They were most likely performers. Vendors were everywhere outside. They were selling an extravagant variety of meals, snacks, candies, and drinks. Everyone was shouting out to customers, trying to gain attention to his or her concessions stand until there was nothing in supply. The best part had to be the children running around for Kuroko though. Their sweet faces beaming bright smiles and round faces decorated in colorful painted designs to fit with the circus' theme.

"Did you have dinner Kuroko-kun? I can buy you something to eat."

"No thank you, Kagami-kun and I had a quick dinner in the kitchens after practice." Kuroko dismissed. Himuro checked the time and nodded.

"At least let me buy you a vanilla milkshake that you like during intermission. Okay?" The taller boy asked before giving a coy wink. Kuroko felt himself stiffen for a second seeing the beauty mark move with the action, noting to be careful around Himuro when he did that. It was very charming, something that would be hard to resist.

They surprisingly did not have a hard time finding seats, and Himuro noticed the gleam in the other's eyes when he saw the children.

"You really love children, don't you?"

"Yes, if I cannot play basketball then I would like to run my own daycare or teach kindergarten students. It is too bad that most of the people I like are men though."

"Why is that?" Tatsuya asked concerned.

"It is just that I think all of the people I am dating would make good parents, and I would not mind having a child with any of them. But the only person that I could ever have biological children with is Momoi-san. It is too bad because if we continue dating, I think Himuro-kun would make a good father too." Tetsuya said as if he were talking about what he was going to eat. The Yosen student laughed at the brutally honest words.

"I do not think that we are at that stage of our relationship Kuroko-kun." The lights dimmed and the audience grew quiet in anticipation. The show was about to begin.

A young woman in her late twenties was in the center ring, a large hat with a wide brim covered in black roses obscured her face except for her red painted mouth. She had strawberry blond hair that ended at her chin, and glowing, tan skin. Her white, billowy, ruffled blouse was contained in a formfitting, red vest and tucked into revealing, black shorts that showed off her shapely legs. Her outfit was complete with ripped, black stockings and distressed, knee length boots with a spiked stiletto to add more length to her long legs. No one could notice the ring she palmed in her hand to help her with the show.

She smirked at the audience and welcomed them into the show with a sensuous voice. She sounded like a demon taunting the humans that entered her lair. It was suspenseful hearing her low voice tell them that they were going to be amazed by the sights before them, and that "Whatever happens tonight, do not be afraid."

She opened her palm and blew on the ring inside, the heat activating the illusion of fire imprinted in the stone. Fire as large as a dragon's breath, and many of the children in the front row were so fooled by the illusion that they had instinctively concealed their eyes behind their hands in fright. When her fired died down, the whole tent became completely dark and soon everything was bathed in candlelight.

Jugglers twirling dangerous daggers, hammers, and other hazardous tools that meant one slip meant a fearful outcome. Kuroko clutched onto Himuro's arm, his blood racing with the first act alone. The taller freshmen comforted his date, placing a delicate hand over Kuroko's trembling one that was tightly gripping his arm. He did not mind the close contact; the phantom was really cute when he was frightened. Things only got more hectic as the performers were passing the objects towards each other, egging the others to toss more and more items to each other. As they passed to one another, soon they began throwing everything to one juggler. Watching as his load grew larger until he had every dangerous weapon in his control. He stayed this way, never giving any fears or emotions to the audience until he threw them all down to the ground and bowed curtly. A roar of applause and clapping was their reward for the eye-catching routine.

"Scary, huh?" Himuro said but did not allow any fear (if he had any) break into his expression. Kuroko's face seemed bland, but his hands were still clenched around his date's shirt. "It was a good idea to come, wasn't it?"

"Yes, thank you Himuro-kun. It is really exciting." Tatsuya leaned down to sink his face into the light-blue hair, lovingly giving kisses to the smaller teen.

There were contortionists bending their liquid-like bodies into each other, forcing the audience's eyes into seeing the shapes of various animals and geometric shapes. The most amazing part of the act was that while contorted, the mass of people would move in synchronization and act as if they were a giant organism. It was amazing to see them move with such grace, further proving their skill.

Soon they were replaced by people on motorcycles, entering a giant, see-through sphere and racing inside. Passing by each other at such high speeds so that they would race upside-down, some of the daring riders would high-five each other inside. One, two, three, and eventually eight people were inside, bowling down the walls of the spherical chamber with ease. The screeching and thunderous noise of all those engines firing at an extreme speed filled the empty air of the tent, and the motorcycles rushing past each other resembled bees swarming rather than people racing each other. After five minutes of this strange act, just as they entered, one by one the vehicles exited the ball and drives away. Soon the lone motorist leaves and circles around to give the front row of the audience a high five before speeding away as well.

"It is amazing how well coordinated they are." Kuroko pointed out.

"Ah, it would take several hours of practice and even then, they would have to really trust each other and their instincts to do such things." Himuro said. He could not help but be reminded of basketball and his team. He glanced down at Kuroko and saw the sky-blue teen had the same thoughts.

"I heard that you and Taiga are forming into a dangerous duo for your team. I guess I won't be seeing you naked soon." The charming teen smirked.

"We always do our best, and cannot be beat in our love of basketball." Tetsuya said.

The two got up from their seats, wanting to get up, stretch, and treat themselves during intermission.

The black abyss of the night settled into the sky, the moon almost full but the clouds obscured the view of the stars. Nightlife at the circus was vivacious and illuminating, but surrounded in a forest of darkness and quiet. Dark, winding streets, moist, crisp grass, and perfumed, humid air that carried the lingering smell of food. They found themselves at the drinks stand, both getting a vanilla milkshake. As they were walking back though, Kuroko accidentally knocked into someone lightly.

"Sorry," The shadow said to the stranger. The unknown man had dark, black hair that reached his chin, thick, almost unruly eyebrows, and a large, confident smirk.

When the taller man noticed Kuroko, his eyes slanted in dislike but instantly his body language changed. His eyes were fixated on the genuine smile on Kuroko's face. Those petal-shaped lips were pouty from sucking on his milkshake, and his round, cute eyes were shining under the silver moon. In the soft light and heated night, the beautiful phantom was like a blurry mirage that would disappear if he dared touch. Hanamiya was in a standstill. He should want to violate, torture, or humiliate such an image of kindness, and yet the devious, basketball player wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around the mysterious being and draw him close. Feel the aquamarine boy's heart steady his own rapid one, assuring him this moment was real. Why was this happening?

"… Hanamiya, why did you stop?" His lavender-haired friend asked his friend. The foul-mannered teen snapped out of his daze. He huffed at Kuroko's apology and moved around him, trying to stop his face from burning from the blush threatening to consume him. Hanamiya felt his mind swim in the images of angels, creatures that were somehow more perfect than man, but that would be impossible. There were no such mythical creatures and yet when he saw the small boy walk away with a shrug, Makoto could almost see silky, plush wings cascading down the slim back.

"What was that guy's problem?" Himuro asked. Kuroko did not understand it either and said nothing on the matter.

The circus boomed with laughter once the clowns strolled in, using physical comedy to entertain their energized audience. There were flowers spurting water at random guests, the tripping over large shoes, and slapstick that resembled old cartoons. While the actions themselves were hilarious, the fact that they were accompanied by vibrant, colorful people that had overly-animated faces made every child and adult laugh tremendously.

Due to the lighthearted entertainment, Kuroko sprawled his legs over Himuro's legs, as if the taller man was a piece of furniture. Tatsuya did not mind it. Kuroko was enjoying himself too much for him to want to move if he was bothered by the act, but he enjoyed the close contact.

The only awkward thing about this arrangement was where he would put his hands. The two were surrounded on both sides of their bench seats, and all the rows behind them were packed. One comfortable position would be to rest his hands on Kuroko's thighs that were on top of his own, but the Yosen student did not know if the Seirin first year would be comfortable with it. It was one thing to hold hands but touching the other's lower-half of his body seemed too forward. Sensing his arms growing uncomfortable, Himuro carefully placed both of his hands on Kuroko's left thigh, making sure to do it gradually.

"It is okay. I don't mind." Kuroko whispered directly into his ear. The hot breath in the growing cooler night sent shivers down Himuro's spine. It was a wonderful time to be alive, having an adorable, kind, gentle, and gifted boy curled around him like a cat, and feeling his steady breathing tickle Tatsuya's collarbone and chin.

All too soon, after the divers and trapeze artists sliced themselves through the air in their flashy bodysuits, the two sighed and looked at each other with a slight sadness knowing that they would have to part soon. They drew closer, their eyes slowly closing in anticipation until their lips collided. Himuro snuck a sly hand behind Kuroko's head, trying to pull the shorter teen even closer, imprinting the feeling of those lips against his own. Kuroko groaned at the slightly rough treatment, but his body pulsed with vitality and hunger. They would part to catch their breath, but return back with vigor, littering the other man with heated kisses that were almost biting in the crisp night, not knowing they were being watched.

Hanamiya had some binoculars, and rather than watch the show, he was observing the angelic boy that he saw. The spider strategist growled with rage and threw the device onto the bench. He trudged out, no longer wanting to subject himself to the masochistic pain of seeing love-at-first-sight being captivated by a gloomy teen. His friend, Hara was stumped by his friend's actions until he looked into the binoculars himself.

"Huh, the short one's pretty cute. I'd tap him. Bet he would be tight too." Hara crudely said before following Hanamiya out of the tent.

The night ended with Himuro and Kuroko arriving back at the Academy at nine at night. The taller walked the shadow up to his dorm, giving him a quick kiss good night before leaving for his own place. Kagami sent them a disapproving glare, wondering what took them so long to get back home but did not voice his thoughts.

On Friday night, Takao did what he did best. Annoy his genius roommate.

"Shin-chan, what outfit should I wear?" Takao asked, holding up a bright yellow, ruffled mini-skirt, and black, tapered, skinny jeans. Midorima felt a vein on his head about to burst due to the ridiculous situation he was in, but maintained his composure.

"Takao, why do you have a yellow skirt in your wardrobe?" The emerald teen sighed in horror. The Hawk-Eye specialist grinned and gave a playful peace sign to his roommate.

"Shin-chan, it is because I look good in it! Don't tell me you would be opposed to Tet-chan wearing a skirt? I thought he'd look cute in the girl's uniform for this Academy. He has the legs to pull it off." Takao voiced his opinion. Midorima rolled his eyes at the idea but the dark-haired teen did not need his special eyes to know that his shooting prodigy teammate had thought of the idea long before they met. "Hm… but I still don't know what to choose. While the skirt makes me feel pretty and sassy, I don't know if I want to go through the effort of finding a good headband, top, and bring a bag to carry my wallet… such a tough decision! Being pretty or lazy? Or I can always be tomboyish and sassy, by wearing both." Midorima cocked an eyebrow at the ludicrous thought of his obnoxious roommate wearing both articles of clothing.

"You do realize that wearing both would make you look like a Middle School student, correct? Even my little sister is starting to grow out of that phase in her development." Shintaro pointed out.

"Ah, I guess you do have a point. Oh well, I probably don't have time to make a suitable outfit for the skirt anyways. Pants win…" Midorima could not help but notice a sad sigh from the Hawk-Eye specialist made that decision. "Oh Shin-chan, do you want any snacks while I'm going to be out? You don't have to pay me back."

"No, my mother just shipped a box of my favorite snacks to me this morning." The green-haired teen said before burying his nose in his textbook to study. Takao could not help but grin as his unsuspecting roommate. He felt scandalous going out with Midorima's boyfriend, but the shooting guard had stated multiple times in his journal that he did not mind sharing the boy. The horoscopes obsessed boy must have understood his boyfriend's universal appeal. Kazunari smiled, hoping that when he did tell Shintaro about his interests in Tetsuya, that he took it well. Takao did not like the idea of making an enemy out of his dorm-mate, teammate, and a member of the Generation of Miracles.

Once Takao was fully dressed, he cheerfully said good bye and dashed to Seirin's first years' Dormitory; the dark-haired boy was very excited for this date. The hark-like teen though in his joyous mood, accidentally bumped into another person.

"Ah! Sorry!" Takao said before returning back on course (he did not want Kuroko to wait). The glasses-wearing stranger waved forgiveness and said bye to the eager boy.

"Hm… Kuroko seems to always attract interesting people to him." Imayoshi smiled before adjusting his crooked glasses. "Can't blame them though, that phantom, sixth man of the Generation of Miracles is rather appealing." The Touou senior said before going back to what he was originally doing.

"Tet-chan! Tet-chan, are you ready to go to Maji Burger?" Takao said while knocking on the door. He heard the shuffled and hurried footsteps of small feet, Kagami warning the shadow to pay more attention to the time when fixing his hair, and the tidying and slamming of a drawer. The Shuutoku point guard grinned at his date's frantic antics, unable to stop his thoughts from praising and cooing at how cute Tetsuya was.

"Sorry for the inconvenience Takao-kun. I am ready now." Kuroko said, his breathing a little uneven due to the disorganized movements in his room.

"It's no big deal Tet-chan. Maji Burger is only a short walk from campus. By the way, I thought that we should have a shorter date than previously planned. I know that Seirin is going to play Kaijou in a practice match, so I want to make sure that you are at full strength." Takao, while he was thrilled that Kuroko would go on a date with him, the point guard did not know whether or not the other boy liked him enough to visit him naked. Plus, this was only the start of their relationship, and who knew what something drastic such as a naked, display-of-affection could do to it at such a delicate time? "Are you nervous?"

"No, actually I am looking forward to it." Kuroko said with a lilt of excitement rolling off his tongue.

"Ha, that seems like you." Takao chuckled. "Hey Tet-chan, since you're a basketball fanatic do you also collect trading cards?"

"Yes, I do not have my collection with me at my dorm but I do have one in my room at home, even of the teams that I am not particularly fond of. I hope you are not bothered by me not being a big fan on the Detroit Pistons during the 80s and 90s. While I understand that part of basketball is mental strength and intellectual tactics, I found their sneaky ways a bit… questionable." The phantom said with a slight furrow to his brows to show his distaste. Takao nodded. He never liked that side of basketball either, but he would accept that it was not illegal or truly breaking the rules. Still, there were many things in life that were not questioned but many considered unfair.

"Heh, it is nice to know I'm not alone. I collected them when I was a little kid, and it was what got me interested in the sport. It must sound kind of corny, but it made me excited to play seeing those great players' stats. I wanted to be a part of that world." Kazunari beamed with his arms stretched out wide to symbolize a greatness that he could not comprehend. Tetsuya grabbed the hand that reached out towards him and joined his fingers with the dark-haired teen's own. He loved this part about Takao's personality. This vivacity, passion, and the thrill the pointing guard got by playing.

They continued to conversation at Maji Burger, ordering just a couple burgers and shakes. Takao did not eat out at fast food places often since his mother stayed at home, so he just copied Kuroko's order (adding his favorite food, kimchi, to his burger) to avoid standing there for hours.

"Heh, Takao-kun, I am really having a good time." Kuroko sheepishly said.

"Yeah, it is surprising but I never met any other people that collected basketball trading cards until you. You would think with all of us eating, playing, sleeping, and breathing basketball, we would be drawn to anything having to deal with it." Takao sighed. "Shin-chan even made fun of my cards, despite having a poster of Larry Bird! Hahaha, seriously, I don't understand how you get along with the guy…"

"Midorima-kun talks to you?"

"Well, yeah… why?" Takao asked after seeing a sly smile peek through Kuroko's features.

"Nothing, it is just that Takao-kun must be a kind and charismatic person. Kind of like Kise-kun, but Midorima-kun is able to be friends with you. Forgive him if he is difficult; he was that way with me as well until I made the first move."

"I see, so he is the tsundere type. Ha. So that's why he is so grumpy." Takao rolled his eyes. "Hey Tet-chan, I know that I kind of asked for this date in secret but I was wondering… if there was a way for me to be an accepted part of your life, like the Generation of Miracles and your ex-manager? While I wouldn't mind to keep it a secret if it makes you uncomfortable, but I don't feel good about hiding such a thing. I really do like you, and I don't want to appear dishonest in my intentions with you." Kuroko looked puzzled by the statement, but quickly reverted back to a soft smile and leaned in to kiss Takao on the cheek. Takao felt his chest constrict from the lack of air, but felt utterly disappointed when the sky-blue boy retreated.

"I am actually thinking of a way to tell Akashi-kun. Despite his harsh demeanor, he understands who I am. He does not love me because he wants me to meet a certain standard." Kuroko paused to take a sip. "As for the others, I think Kise-kun and Murisakibara-kun would have the hardest time accepting more people that I was interested in. But I think they would instantly like you Takao-kun. Like I said, you are similar to Kise-kun, especially in your good nature and playfulness. It makes people feel instantly at ease and drawn to your light. So I really think a relationship with you would not be hard to have acknowledged." Takao was happy to hear such positive news that he grabbed the shadow's right hand and gave it a gentle kiss on the palm. Kazunari felt a sensation of warmth and securities unravel from inside him. Was this love, he was not sure, but he could feel something bubbling inside him, urging the hawk-like player to let something break open. Takao continued to litter tiny kisses against Kuroko's hand, switching between the palm, back of the hand, knuckles, tips, and anywhere that he felt needed a kiss.

"Excuse me Takao-kun, but I am not finished eating and I prefer to use both of my hands." Kuroko blankly said to the affection. Takao felt his stomach coil and he laughed wholeheartedly at the honesty. A laughter that left him almost wheezing, and yet the dark-haired boy wanted this again. He wanted to painfully double-over in joy and mirth, feel this strange boy consume his body. Kuroko's bluntness, his humor (despite saying he had none), and yet the phantom's capacity to love and desire with such strength despite having so many in his heart, only spoke volumes of the kindness, care, and humanity that lay in him. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, no you didn't. I am just very glad that you chose to spend this time with me." Kazunari said once he calmed down. Kuroko looked at his date worriedly, but after dozens of times being reminded that Takao was okay (and not going insane), the sixth man finished his vanilla shake. After being coerced by the dark-haired teen to take a few more bites of his burger, the two set out back to Teiko Academy under the growing darker sky.

"Would you mind if we sit on the bench Takao-kun? I am not very good at moving right after I eat."

"Ah, no! I did not realize that. Sorry," The Hawk-Eye specialist apologized and sat side-by-side with his quiet date.

"No, it is okay. It gives a good excuse to sit under the stars with you." Kuroko reasoned before resting his head against Takao's shoulder. A clear, unending sky with dazzling stars and a great person to share them with were two things that the pointing guard could not think could get better. Kuroko agreed as he glanced up at Takao, seeing those wonderful, powerful, mesmerizing eyes staring widely at the heavenly bodies in fascination. "The world is full of so many beautiful things, isn't it Takao-kun?" The phantom hinted that he was talking about his date, before slipping his arms around his neck and pulling them both together in a passionate kiss.

Takao groaned in surprise but unable to say no to something he desired greatly. Heated air, hollow cheeks, and the faint scent of the other lingering against their clothes were tantalizing. It barely occurred to either of them to breathe, intoxicated by the spur of the moment. Hands clawing at shirts, hearts thrashing uneven rhythms against each other, and heat pooling in their groins that was leading to madness, Takao could feel that he was losing control. When he pulled away to spare any mishaps, he was finally able to give the words he wanted to make sure that Takao wanted Kuroko to hear.

"I know. I spent the whole afternoon with one of them."

Going back to the room was hard for both of them. Kuroko could feel his hand shake nervously against Takao's steady one, but the other did his best to comfort the shadow with kisses on the top of his head. Closing the door shut, Kuroko sighed and flopped onto his bed in disappointment that he could not be asleep in Takao's arms. Would that be too bold for a first date? Yes, but he did not have any sexual activities in mind. Kuroko wanted to feel someone he loved close to him as he slept, rather than having to part from them and settle for some form of contact at school.

"Hey Kuroko, you forgot your phone and it beeped. I think you got a text message." Kagami alerted his tired roommate. The shadow nodded and thanked his light for telling him. It was actually a straight-to-voicemail message from Imayoshi Shoichi.

_"Yo Kuroko-kun, it is Imayoshi. I have something important to tell you. Would you mind meeting me at the mall near the school on Monday at 6:00pm?"_ Kuroko began texting the senior immediately, causing Kagami's eyes to widen in a mixture of fear and awe.

"Yes Kagami-kun?"

"I don't know how you do it. You entered high school with a harem of boyfriends and a girlfriend, and you're still accumulating more. Your dating prowess is greater than Murisakibara's eating skills... you're a monster..." A pillow was thrown at the roommate's careless diction choice.

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I hope you enjoyed reading! The next chapter, we get a practice match, the Generation of Miracles finding out about the "other boyfriends," and Akashi finding a solution to it all.


	6. Chapter 6 Most Random Chapter

**Summary**: A whole bunch of stuff happens. There is the practice match, Koutaro kissing Kuroko, Hanamiya, Akashi's testing, and more.

**Notes**:  
1. Sometimes I feel like I make Kise too much of a cry-baby in this fanfic. In the next chapter, I will try to correct that. :)  
2. Kirisaki Daiichi is still a separate, private school where Hanamiya is both the Coach and Captain. While Teiko Academy is a combination of six schools (which is why all the dorms compete separately for Winter Cup), the other schools have not changed.  
3. Implied ImaHana? I don't mean for it to be interpreted that way, but it could be.

Hope you enjoy! Thank you for your lovely reviews, and for favoriting and following this story.

**Word Count**: 8,396 Words

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Kuroko was studying for an exam in _Geometry_ when he heard an abrupt knock on the door. After quickly fixing his bed-head, the phantom swung the door open to reveal his former Captain Akashi Seiijuro. The teal-haired teen was surprised by the visit; their date was not until next week's Sunday, and the slightly taller red-head knew Kuroko's team had a practice match with Kaijou today. Akashi sauntered into the room, paying no attention to Kagami's annoyed glare. He approached the typical dorm room as if he were going to a business meeting rather than standing in the middle of his boyfriend's place. Kuroko and Kagami were confused by the other's intentions for coming. Was he not here to visit the shadow of Seirin, the person he loved the most?

"Tetsuya," Akashi finally spoke. "Late in the afternoon after practice, I received a knock on my door. It was that senior from Touou Dormitory that you are familiar with. The one you said that you met during your LBGTQIA+ meetings, Imayoshi Shoichi." Kuroko was utterly confused. Why would Touou's Captain want with Akashi? His boyfriend had nothing in common with the glasses-wearing, young man. "He told me of your mutual interests in each other, and also informed me of Kasamatsu Yukio, Himuro Tatsuya, and Takao Kazunari." Oh dear…

"I see…" Kuroko said with hesitation. Akashi sighed.

"Would you mind if I talk to Tetsuya alone? This is a rather private matter that only concerns him and me." Seiijuro said calmly to Kagami. The ferocious looking man was reluctant to leave the invisible one alone, red-handed, and cornered, but could not help that this was justifiable revenge at the aquamarine teen for dating his brother without his knowledge. Taiga gave a nod to the shorter red-head, and left to stand outside the room. He made sure to the door closed with a click. "Imayoshi's reputation suits him Tetsuya. He really loves to do the things that people hate… I am disappointed that you did not tell me about your interests in these men. With the exception of Imayoshi, the others are tolerable."

"I went on a date with them to see if we were compatible. I was still deciding. I was actually going to call to meet you in the afternoon about them today." Akashi examined the slimmer boy and nodded. He knew that the other boy was cautious despite Kuroko's stance on being polyamorous.

"It just displeases me greatly getting such a thing that afternoon. Touou's Captain telling me things that you should have, and using that sickening, sweet tone as if he were actually sincere about his intentions. He even asked how he could possibly gain my approval, as if I were foolish enough to believe he desired or needed such a thing." Suddenly Kuroko did not feel uneasy and knew exactly what was going on. Akashi did not care about how many people Kuroko dated and who. The Rakuzan student was upset that someone else (a person he disliked greatly) was mocking him using his love of Kuroko. While the phantom knew that Shoichi did things like this to be playful, he knew that the other might not know when he went too far. To challenge the trust in their relationship that was already strained thanks to their last match during their Teiko Middle School days, and to twist it to make Akashi question whether they are drifting apart even more was plain cruel. Kuroko would have a talk with Imayoshi when he saw him on Monday.

The light-blue haired man wrapped his arms around Akashi's torso, smiling against the other's neck. Akashi could smell vanilla; the Rakuzan Captain smiled at the shadow not following his diet menu. Kuroko liked his vanilla milkshakes too much to give those up so easily, just like basketball. Even though Akashi became really close to causing the latter to happen…

"I'm sorry Akashi-kun." Kuroko apologized since he could not force the Touou senior to be summoned at once and do it himself. "I am very lucky to have someone who loves me like you. I know it cannot be easy."

"I did not come for apologies." It was a lie. Tetsuya could feel the knot in Seiijuro's chest dwindling to nothing after his words. "I do not want any more deception, which is why we have a matter to discuss." Akashi comfortingly squeezed his arms around the thin phantom's waist. "We need to discuss some parameters on who you choose to date, how they will prove themselves they are worthy of you, and some rules they need to follow before proceeding into the accepted status of your boyfriend. Also, as your first love, I am the one to approve them." Akashi said with a professional voice. Kuroko gave his boyfriend an incredulous look.

"Uh… could you give an example Akashi-kun?" Kuroko asked for he did not want several people to come into harm just because they wanted to go on a date with him.

"You are passionate about basketball, so therefore you should date people who also enjoy basketball." The phantom nodded. "In order to prove their love of basketball to you, they need to be a regular of the basketball team and play in the majority of the games. This should not be too hard if they truly like to play, practice, and develop their skills." It made sense. The majority of people that he were attracted to even on the level of friendship had to be basketball players, in comparison to the students that were studying to be coaches, managers, dieticians, and other professions.

"What about Momoi-san and Nijimura-san?" Kuroko pointed out. While Nijimura probably polished his skills since their days at Teiko, because of his accelerated pace at school in order to be there for his father made him unable to play for a team. Plus, the dark-haired man was a coach now to younger children, not a basketball regular at his college. Momoi was also someone that did not fit that requirement. While she played basketball fairly well (better than average), she was much better at analyzing the game, techniques, finding patterns, and exploiting weaknesses rather than actual game play.

"They are exceptions approved of by me." Akashi answered bluntly. His decisions were like his words, absolute. "Another parameter that I would like to set is that they need to like children. You still perform magic tricks to the daycare children on Sunday mornings, so it should be no surprise that you would like a partner that appreciated the youth as well. I think you are well-equipped to find that answer for yourself of course."

"And how would they prove themselves to you?" Kuroko asked curiously. Akashi smiled.

"Simple, I will ask them a question. How would they prove that they love you Tetsuya?"

"Wouldn't that be an easy one to answer, because all they would have to do is that so. Are you expecting a different action to be taken Akashi-kun?" The light-blue boy asked.

"Sometimes the simplest questions are the best to ask." The Rakuzan student sighed. "As for some rules, I think the only thing is that you remember your promise to me Tetsuya." Kuroko felt a faint blush spread across his cheeks but nodded. "Would you like to have breakfast with me then? I plan to have a meeting with everyone else about this subject matter later, but for the morning I wanted Kise to be able to concentrate on his match." The shadow felt queasy about not telling his boyfriends and girlfriend about his recent dates right away, but he did not want to give them a horrible surprise like Imayoshi did with Akashi right before the practice match.

"Sure," And the two left. They told Kagami that everything was safe and they were going to the cafeteria to have a morning meal with the other Generation of Miracles.

As Akashi and Kuroko walked into the dining area, most of the crowd grew quiet. Everyone knew where they were going. Aomine, Murisakibara, Midorima, Kise, and Momoi were all sitting at one table with two chairs reserved for their incoming guests. There were so many whispers from grouped tables from all kinds of people. It was a bit unnerving to the phantom for he was not used to such attention given his lack of presence, and Akashi could shrug it off with ease due to victory, attention, gossip, and adoration always following him like a parasite clinging to its victim. Once they had taken their seats, all of them grabbed the menus that were resting on the table and began interacting like normal teenagers.

"It is kind of odd, isn't it? These guys are basketball prodigies but they appear absolutely normal." Hyuuga observed.

"Hm… why wouldn't they be?" Kiyoshi smiled, typical of the uncrowned-king. He acknowledged the younger ones' skills, but he was always there to cheerfully remind everyone that things did not have to always be so serious.

"Well, I cannot imagine Midorima hanging out with people and getting together to have a meal." Koganei judged. Riko shushed them. She wanted to know what the colorful group of first years was talking about.

"Good morning everyone, how are you?" Kuroko greeted to them. Kise smiled.

"Good morning Kurokocchi! Are you excited to have a match today? I was so glad that Coach Genta was able to talk to Coach Alex about a practice match." The blonde beamed before turning back to the menu.

"Yes, I wanted to see how much Kise-kun had improved." The light-blue boy gave a soft smile back. Midorima sighed and adjusted his glasses. "Is there something wrong Midorima-kun?"

"Aside from Kise being perverted and only wanting a practice match because he wants to see your nude form, I am disappointed in you Kuroko. You actually believe that Kise has improved much. He rarely goes to practice due to his career in modeling and because he thinks his ability of 'perfect copy' can save him. He is probably not worth having a match with; his skills are probably rusty." Midorima scolded. The green-haired teen put his menu down gently, knowing that he would want a traditional, Japanese breakfast. Kise frowned and turned to Kuroko to defend him only to find a hint of disappointment in those usually unreadable eyes.

"Kurokocchi, please don't give me that look! I am not the bad guy. I am really busy, I swear!" The blonde whined. The Seirin first year sighed and just told the blonde he would not go easy on him. "Oh Kurokocchi, please don't be so cold to me. The match hasn't even started yet."

Momoi giggled. "Poor Ki-chan, it seems like you made Tetsu-kun awfully sad."

"I don't see why Tetsu is sad. Kise is skilled and still better than everyone else on his team." Aomine said while rolling his eyes. "Kise's team will most likely win. No one on Tetsu's team is strong enough to utilize the gift they have." Aomine said implying that his shadow's team was the problem rather than the light-blue boy himself. Kuroko stayed quiet on the issue. He would let Seirin's basketball plays speak for themselves.

Soon, a brave waiter approached the table cautiously and took everyone's orders. None of the basketball prodigies could understand the young man's fears of them, but did their best to be polite. They continued talking about other topics such as new video games they were excited to see come out later in the year, festivals that were around the corner, and complaints of strict policies when it came to the Academics in a Sports-dedicated Academy (most of this topic was dictated by Aomine), until the same waiter returned with a large cart and served them food.

"Neh Akachin, who do you think would win if it is Midochin and Kurochin?" Murisakibara asked before taking a bite of his pancakes.

"Murisakibara, the match today is between Tetsu and Kise." Aomine corrected.

"I know that Minechin, but the Interhigh match-ups came out yesterday, and Kurochin and Midochin are in the same bracket. They will most likely compete in the finals of their section." The giant explained. Aomine nodded and relaxed back into his chair.

Riko and the Seirin second years grew excited. Aomine was the power forward and ace of the Generation of Miracles, and it would be nice to hear some of his insight on the matter.

"… che, I don't know." Well, so much for insight…

"I am sure it will be a close match. Midorima-kun diligently practices and everything he can in his power to achieve victory. He is never one to underestimate or underplay his abilities." Kuroko praised. Kise whined, clung to Kuroko's arm, and begged the sky-blue boy to say nice things about him and his skills. "Kise-kun, you have the ability to be a prodigy at anything. While I disapprove of your work ethics, I respect your skills and would never take you lightly."

"Is that what you really think?" Kise asked with a dreamy sigh. Kuroko nodded. "Kise-kun also has a nice personality. You make a lot of people feel at ease and happy just by being yourself, and I do not mean your fake smiles and laughter. I mean when you genuinely smile when you scored a point, on a date, or when it is just all of us as friends; you are blazing and charming."

"Tetsu, don't inflate that bastard's ego." Aomine huffed and ate his bacon. Momoi pinched him on the arm, causing the tan teen to yelp. "Satsuki!"

The group continued on like this, making small talk and jabs at each other. It almost felt like those lunches they would share on the rooftop in their second year. All seven of them happily getting along, and there was nothing sinister about it. Midorima's stern face would reveal an elusive smile, Momoi's eyes would squint in delight from her smile shining so brightly, and even Akashi seemed to be pleased with today. It was different compared to the trip to the zoo, for instead of trying to impress or have a group date with the phantom player they adored, they felt like friends that were simply having a good time and not burdened by the painful past.

"Seii-chan, our practice will begin shortly." A tall, gentle speaking man with long, black hair reminded from behind the group. The red-head nodded.

"I was actually going to announce that practice was canceled for today, and instead watch the practice match between Kaijou Dormitory and Seirin Dormitory." The dark-haired man nodded calmly with a smile. Just as he was about to leave, he noticed a flash of orange approaching Kuroko. "Kou-chan, what are you doing? I swore you were just behind me. It is not like you to be sneaky."

"Neh, Reo-nee when we went to the children's petting zoo, do you remember the guinea pigs exhibit?" Hayama Koutaro asked. Mibuchi nodded. It was the orange-haired teen's favorite part of their day. He really loved playing with the small creatures.

"Doesn't this boy have the same cute eyes as them? They are round, adorable, and blue just like those guinea pigs." Hayama pointed at Kuroko. "You're so cute!" And with that, the brash boy grabbed the usually invisible man and crushed their lips together. Kuroko was surprised by the stranger's actions, but could not escape due to the slightly older boy's fingers threaded in his hair. When the overzealous and energetic teen finally parted from the shadow, he whined loudly "Reo-nee! I want to keep him! He's so soft and tastes like vanilla ice cream!" Reo sighed and gave the unsuspecting Koutaro a pitied look. Perhaps he should have told Hayama about the phantom, sixth man that supposedly had no record but was acknowledged by the Generation of Miracles both as an amazing player and their boyfriend.

Everyone turned to Akashi, recognizing the Uncrowned-King Hayama Koutaro as one of Rakuzan's regulars and the red-head's subordinate. The Captain of the fierce team stood up; there was an air of malice and discontent around him.

"Koutaro, who said that you had permission to touch Tetsuya?" Hayama blinked and looked down at the teen that he kissed with great might. The name Tetsuya seemed familiar.

"Uh, no one Captain! This is my first time meeting him."

"Do you disrespect all people's body autonomy when you first meet them, or is my boyfriend the only exception?" Oh no… "Shintaro, your lucky item for today is a Swiss Army knife, correct?" This did not look good for the dribbling expert.

"Seii-chan, please forgive him. You know how excited Kou-chan gets when he sees cute things." Mibuchi tried to reason. The only thing he could in return was a cold stare from those strange eyes. Midorima sighed and handed his lucky item to the Captain, not at all surprised when the other tried to stab his fellow teammate. Luck was determined to preserve the orange-haired teen's life and the table behind the Generation of Miracles broke in half due to the force and rage. The terrifying crack of the table sent Koutaro crying out and running for his life, his monstrous Captain trailing close behind, and Reo politely excusing himself to catch up to his two teammates.

"Kurokocchi, are you okay? Akashicchi's teammate just attacked you." Kise asked concerned and affectionately rubbed the tense muscles of Kuroko's back.

"What an ungraceful character, that Hayama Koutaro. He seems even more annoying that Kise and Aomine." Midorima said. Aomine rolled his eyes.

"Say that when you beat me in a match."

"Everyone, please! We were getting along so well." Momoi groaned at the immaturity.

"It is alright Momoi-san. Kise-kun and I should be preparing for our match. It was fun spending time with everyone again," Kuroko put his tray of food away and started walking back to his dorm.

Saturdays, while not a free day for basketball players because this meant practice, for the other students it meant absolute free time so the usually filled halls were empty. It felt nice to stroll slowly down the winding halls, listening to the echoes of students far away become total silence. The meandering walkways helped Kuroko cool his head. He wondered if what he was doing was right. Was it right to try to force his loved ones to a state they used to be in? What if they did not want to go back? Sure, he and Momoi desired that, but could he say that the others' lives had not gotten better due to their rise in infamy? Would beating them really make them reflect on what they had done to thousands of lives? How they hurt so many young people because of their dominance and narcissism?

Kuroko looked up from his thoughts, recognizing that he was in Touou Dormitory. According to the floor numbers, this is where the seniors dwelled. Since the sky-blue teen was here, he thought of visiting Imayoshi Shoichi and ask the older man to apologize for hurting Akashi. Perhaps if there was time, he would hear what the other reserved for Monday afternoon. It should not be too hard to find Imayoshi, for being the Captain of the basketball team was an exclusive title that granted many privileges (and responsibilities) and one of them was having a dorm room to yourself. The Seirin first year roamed the hallway, checking all the signs for the Touou Captain's name and making sure he did not get lost. When Kuroko finally found the right room and grabbed for the door knob, another hand collided with his own.

"Ah!" The person shouted. Tetsuya looked up to see that it was the stranger that he bumped into at the circus. "When did you show up?"

"I am sorry once again; I did not realize that you were there." Kuroko said once the other calmed down. "My name is Kuroko Tetsuya, and I wanted to see Imayoshi-sempai right away. If you have pressing matters with him, then please go ahead of me." Hanamiya huffed and rolled his eyes at the polite teen.

"Heh, don't get so chummy with that old man. He may appear nice but he's really an evil, sadistic, mind reader that likes to pry into people." The second year at Kirisaki Daiichi said. Kuroko nodded.

"Apparently he does this outside of the basketball court too-"

"Of course he would do that, it is in his nature to make people squirm. He used to be my Middle School Captain before he graduated. He's-" Before Makoto could finish that idea, a familiar, smooth voice with a Kansai dialect interrupted with a "Hey!"

"Hello Mako-chan!" The Touou Captain greeted as he draped an arm around his former kouhai. Hanamiya glared at the man and yelled for the other to never call him that. "What, you don't like it?"

"Yeah I don't like it you idiot!" Imayoshi shrugged.

"But it's your name. You wouldn't really ask me to consider calling you Hanamiya, would you?" Kuroko looked up at the stranger again and finally realized who he was. There was a match two years ago during his second year, when he just became a first-string rank player, with a team that everyone warned played a rough and disingenuous type of style. They were known to "accidentally" injure their opponents a lot, and when that did not work they would use a psychological attack of intercepting passes and floater shots made at all angles. He remembered that he was injured and couldn't play that match due to Momoi fainting when she saw him pick up a kitten, causing Kuroko to catch her and put stress on his elbow. As he was watching his fellow teammates, he was horrified to see Kise had gotten elbowed in the stomach by Hanamiya Makoto, and was thankful that Akashi was able to reform their strategies to avoid such tragedies from happening again. "Oh, Kuroko-kun, it is nice to see you again! But we're not going on a date until Monday at the mall. What are you doing here?"

Hanamiya's eyes bugged out at his former Captain's words. He was going out with this innocent, polite, younger man? The Kirisaki Daiichi student was confused. Had he not seen the other at the circus with a different teen?

"I was hoping to talk to you before that time Imayoshi-sempai. If you are busy now, we can talk later." Kuroko said, his reply confusing Makoto even more. The sky-blue angel did not deny having a date, but he never called it that himself. "You may spend time with Hanamiya-san if you wish to do so-"

"Baka! I am not going to be here long with this nuisance. I just wanted to threaten this evil-glasses guy in person to stop sending me stupid things, since clearly everything over the phone and computer isn't working! Honestly, who would want to be here surrounded by such goodie-goodies and this insufferable guy?" Hanamiya barked at both Teiko Academy students. Kuroko examined the exasperated, sallow-skinned teen, and could not help a smile break through his usually passive face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I am sorry if this offends you Hanamiya-san, but I remember a time where I thought players like you were the biggest threat to basketball and can't help but find it very naïve. You may wish to injury the bodies, but you never suffocate and murder to soul's love of the game with your tactics." Kuroko said. Imayoshi watched the younger men and could not help but find it hilarious at how obvious Hanamiya's crush on Kuroko was. The Kirisaki Daiichi student did not know whether to feel insulted or glad that the sky-blue teen thought this way. He did not like the idea that someone would underestimate or down-grade him from his current nickname of "the bad boy of basketball" but at the same time, Makoto enjoyed the idea that Tetsuya found something worse in comparison to him? Hanamiya glanced at his former sempai and groaned to himself. The Touou Captain knew exactly what was going on and was going to tease him mercilessly.

"You are still naïve. Say those words to me after you beat me." Hanamiya smirked and poked his tongue out mockingly at the shorter boy. The phantom merely stated that he would do his best against him, a lackluster reaction that displeased the teen with questionable tactics.

"So Kuroko-kun, why don't we go inside to talk? Since Hanamiya is done here with his business with me." Shoichi drawled in an almost sexual manner. The Captain of Kirisaki Daiichi huffed and gave a menacing glare his former Captain. It appeared that Kuroko did not notice this tone, and simply followed the older man to his room. Hanamiya felt his stomach drop when he heard the lock click. Simply curious (he was not worried for the petite, good-looking boy), the bad boy of basketball pressed his ear against the door and listened. "I'm very glad to see you Kuroko-kun. I had a feeling after I gave you my number that you wouldn't want to see me for a while."

"What I want to talk to you about is not about our relationship, it is my relationship with Akashi-kun." Another relationship? How many people was this innocent-looking boy dating?

"Ah, I thought he would talk to you soon." Hanamiya shivered at Imayoshi's darker tone.

"Please do not interfere with my relationship with Akashi-kun. You made him very upset. I understand that you find your abilities in reading people, knowing their general thoughts, and teasing them about it fun, but you went too far with Akashi-kun. If you wish to date me, please do not do that again." Kuroko made it clear. The sound of a shirt being pulled and feet being dragged shocked the listening teen, making him panic. He heard a soft, breathy, pleasurable groan and Imayoshi's quiet chuckle. They were kissing in the Touou Captain's room, where there would be no roommate to distract them… "You're trying to make me forget the issue Imayoshi-sempai," Kuroko gasped when he broke away from the other's grasp.

"Ha, you saw right through that huh? I guess that is fine. I won't touch your precious Akashi. For someone who destroyed your best friend, you sure care about the guy."

"I do care for Akashi-kun, even if he has done terrible things. I have to get ready for my practice match now."

"Alright, I will see you two days from now. Would you like another kiss for good luck?" Imayoshi asked.

"I would not mind kissing Imayoshi-sempai again." Kuroko agreed. It was a couple minutes later that the transparent teen exited the room, his shirt crinkled with the imprint of forceful fingers. His lips that were almost as pale as the rest of his skin were bright pink in color after some intense kissing. The phantom, sixth man left at a brisk pace, not noticing Hanamiya was still right next to the door. Too bad for the devious, basketball player that the Touou Captain knew better.

"Yo Mako-chan, I never thought I would actually see the day. I always knew that the sixth man of the Generation of Miracles was special, but I never knew he could perform the impossible." Imayoshi smirked. Hanamiya grunted.

"Genius, prodigy, or raw talent, no matter the case once you break it everything becomes garbage." The Kirisaki Daiichi Captain retorted. "Besides, that puny kid is part of the Generation of Miracles? I don't remember him."

"Ah, well if I remember correctly he was injured when you played his team. You probably would have gotten even more frustrated that day had he played. He's a passing and stealing specialist." It did not surprise Hanamiya that he ironically fell for a person that might have the capabilities to break his spider web. God was stupid like that. "While his skills are impressive, I don't think it's nearly as amazing as actually seeing you pine for someone. A genius, bad boy has a crush. It is really quite fun."

"I don't have a crush. I just wanted to make sure that you got my message. I am the Captain of Kirisaki Daiichi, and I don't need you messing up my image by sending my teammates photos of us hanging out together in Middle School!"

"But you were so cute back then Mako-chan!" Urgh… If there was anything that made Hanamiya Makoto angrier than he already was at Imayoshi Shoichi, it was being called cute. "Besides, maybe I should send those photos to your teachers if you continue to keep skipping classes like I know you did on Thursday."

"You know I'm a genius! I don't need to go to class!"

Kuroko paid no attention to the heated argument that he hear in the distance, for he wanted to make sure he was not late. The phantom could hear the scolding voice of his Assistant Coach Riko, and how she would triple his training menu, and the calm voice of the foreign Dietician-in-training Antonia forcing him to eat more food than ever. Even his shooting guard captain was scary when pushed and annoyed. He raced down to his room and into the bathroom, briefly hearing Kagami yelling at him for not being back earlier. As the phantom player changed, he felt his cellphone vibrate. It was a call from Akashi.

"Hello?" Kuroko asked while shifting out of his shirt.

"Tetsuya, after the match, please inform all of your potential partners to come to my room after your practice match. You remember my room number?"

"Yes Akashi-kun. I hope you enjoy watching the match today."

"You never fail or disappoint me when it comes to basketball, don't start today." The Rakuzan Captain said before hanging up. Kuroko was shocked by his reaction, thinking that everyone wanted him to lose after his declaration. Perhaps Akashi could feel his other self, reawakening and wanting to join everyone… or he did not want any new people that were not him or the trusted group of friends to see the light-blue boy naked. No matter how much Kuroko wished it was the former thought, it was most likely the latter that was dictating the Rakuzan student's encouragements. Kuroko sighed at his prediction, and continued to get ready both physically (into his clothes) and mentally.

Many of the basketball regulars gathered around on the bleachers of the basketball stadium. The Generation of Miracles sat next to each other; their faces focused and stern despite their blood boiling in their veins. Takao and Himuro sat right behind them. The Shuutoku point guard had a small, video camera in his hands so that he and the Yosen ace could record Kuroko. Imayoshi walked into the sections of bleachers and sat down with the basketball-playing first years; all of them were confused as to why he chose to sit next to them except Akashi.

"Yo," The Touou Captain greeted the red head. The Rakuzan student nodded; he was no longer angry from this morning.

"Huh, Imayoshi-san, what are you doing here?" Aomine asked. Imayoshi shrugged and adjusted his glasses. "You're not one to worry about scouting and collecting data since Satsuki joined the team. What gives?"

"I just suspect that this match will be interesting." The third year smiled. Out of the corner of his slanted eyes, he saw Hanamiya Makoto standing by the entrance looking down at the stadium scanning for an unnoticeable character. Imayoshi grinned. It was rare for the genius to take genuine interest in someone, and that will make it all the more fun to watch the younger man squirm when Shoichi will tease him later about it. "A lot of people are coming to watch the match, aren't they? Surprisingly there are a lot of girls here. Are they managers or assistant coaches too?" Before Momoi could answer, a large amount of the women shrieked when they saw Kise running out to warm up with his team. "Ah, they are fans of Kise Ryouta."

"Yes, they are quite an annoying presence that Kise brings to the games. I feel sorry for his captain." Midorima added. Takao rolled his eyes and poked the green-haired teen on the head. "Hey!"

"Shin-chan, like you are any better? We have to let you do what you want three times a day, let you bring those ridiculous , lucky items to practice, and if it is a bad day for Cancers, you generally don't want to play. At least fangirls are cute. When you're being annoying, there is no consolation prize." Takao reminded the shooting guard. Himuro chuckled. He thought Murisakibara and his incessant snacking and childish whining was not fun, but he would rather have that over trading places with Takao. At least the gentle giant was easy to coerce like a little kid. "So if anyone wants to feel bad for anyone, it has to be our team."

"As if dealing with you as a roommate is fun." Midorima said while rolling his eyes. Imayoshi huffed.

"Clearly you underestimate how lazy Aomine is. Most of the time he doesn't show up for practice, and when he does he gives Sakurai-kun a heart attack because he leaves his porn magazines on the bleachers."

"Midochin and Minechin sound exactly the same." Murisakibara pointed out. Akashi cocked an eyebrow at the largest member's statement and asked how he had changed over the break. "I prefer vanilla over strawberry flavor. It reminded me of Kurochin when I couldn't visit him."

"Ah! Everyone look, it is about to start!" Momoi squealed. Everyone in the audience grew quiet, as the two teams lined up into position. It was funny to see the referee ask Seirin Dormitory why they had only four members on the court only to be spooked by Kuroko's sudden appearance (even Hanamiya cracked a smile before returning back to a blank stare).

Seirin because they were a new dorm, wanted to prove not just themselves but also everyone watching, so they quickly got the first two points due to Kuroko slapping the ball out of Kasamatsu's hands and into Kagami's waiting ones, which resulted into a glorious dunk smashing through the hoop. Everyone was fairly impressed. Kasamatsu asked who number ten was, only to have Kise dismiss the first year ace in exchange to talk about his boyfriend's impressive passes. The elder had a look of surprise on his face at first since he had just went on a date with Kuroko several days and thought it had gone well, but said nothing. He did not need his idiot teammate anymore distracted.

The pace grew quicker with every play, Seirin clearly showing fatigue when it was only the first round. Once the full ten minutes were up, both teams had a serious discussion about how they would proceed.

"Hm… it really can go either way right now." Momoi said uneasy. "Ki-chan! You better win this one!" She cheered. The others were so busy with basketball that they forgot about the wager that Seirin promised them. With that domino, soon multiple fangirls jeered and screamed for their favorite blonde as well.

"Hahaha, it looks like you have done it now Momoi-san. Honestly, I would have thought you had all seen Kuroko naked at some point in the locker room." Imayoshi smiled at the eager, young woman.

"Tetsu is really modest and dresses in the bathroom. It's a weird thing he does." Aomine explains. "So no one has seen him naked. Unless you count Akashi's super vision, then maybe someone has."

"Daiki, my powers do not work that way and I do not like you insinuating that I would ever use them for such inappropriate purposes that violate Tetsuya's privacy." The red head said. "Do not make me use Shintaro's lucky item again. Koutaro barely made it out alive this morning, and that was only because we have a match coming up soon."

They fought hard again in the second half, both teams scoring against the other and not doing the best at defending the net. It was an aggressive match that was a battle between the offenses. Akashi noticed Kagami jumping higher as it progressed and smiled.

"The winner will be Tetsuya's team, and it will be close. Most likely 100 to 98 in their favor, but no matter the score the winner will be Seirin." Akashi commented and got up. "Please inform me if I am wrong Shintaro, but as of this moment it doesn't seem like I can gather anything else watching. I will go back to my room now." The Rakuzan Captain walked away, noticing the disappointed looks on Kuroko's lovers and admirers that the match's outcome will lead to a victory for Seirin. As the red-haired, first year student left, he quickly texted Tetsuya's cellphone to make sure the sky-blue teen would also inform the five other boyfriends and girlfriend to come to their former Captain's room as well after the game.

In the third quarter, Kuroko switched places with Mitobe in order to be able to utilize the young man's misdirection in the fourth quarter. While it was harder for Seirin, they thankfully only had to play for half of the third round without the phantom before the other team was no longer used to his presence. Despite Akashi's prediction, most of the group was on the edge of their seat. It did not look good for Seirin, but Kaijou Dormitory was not appearing to be doing well either when it came to their stamina. Both teams had a strong fighting spirit, and no matter what would never falter.

The invisible member came back into the game and helped change the flow of the game, frustrating the Kaijou regulars. Even Kasamatsu growled at the split-second passes returning into the game, causing Seirin's already strong offense to intensify. Every time the score changed, it felt like a boxing match where the foes were exchanging blows and jabs. With only a few seconds on the clock and the score at 98-98, Kuroko's sneaky strategy of faking Kise by shooting only for Kagami to charge in with a dunk. As the Rakuzan Captain predicted, Seirin won 100-98 in the end. Despite this only being a practice match, the newly formed dorm could not stop themselves from cheering and being extremely proud of themselves. They were already strong last year, but the idea of participating in Winter Cup was even more promising with this win against a strong opponent under their belt.

Everyone was too busy enjoying their victory that they did not notice the tearful whines of Kise's followers wishing that Kaijou Dormitory had won before they exited the stadium. In the huge commotion and now that he knew the object-of-his-affection had won, Hanamiya left with the crowd so as not to draw suspicion. Just as Momoi was getting up to congratulate the milky-blue man and comfort the disappointed blonde, she got a text message from Kuroko as did the others. Takao, Himuro, Imayoshi, Aomine, Midorima, and Murisakibara had the same text that told them to meet at Akashi's room for an important discussion.

They all glanced at each other, searching for an explanation as to why such a meeting was taking place between members of the Generation of Miracles and Non-members. When no answer could be provided (Imayoshi knew how to keep a poker face too), they looked down at the court to see that Kise and Kasamatsu were talking with Kuroko. They most likely got the message as well, because Kise looked like he wanted to cower in fear.

"Come on Satsuki; let's go see what that tyrant wants." Daiki groaned as he stretched out of his seat.

"Maybe Akachin wants to eat dinner with everyone this time instead of just breakfast." Murisakibara thought out loud.

"If that is the case Murisakibara, perhaps you should slow down when it comes to eating those strawberry wafers. You don't want to ruin your appetite." Himuro warned his roommate. The taller Yosen student shrugged and said that there was not much that would ruin his appetite (and food was rarely a reason).

"Well Shin-chan, it looks like we've been summoned. I can't help but feel like this is going to be like those horror movies!" Takao grinned.

"For someone who is supposedly scared, you sure seem excited." Midorima said, exasperated by the other's cheerful demeanor.

The large group of colorful students headed to the red-head's room, surprised to see him standing outside the door with his back leaned against the frame. He seemed amused by everyone's confusion, his eyes appearing predatory in nature. Everyone gathered around the slim, lean Captain, except for Kuroko who stood at Akashi's right side.

"Hello everyone, I know this is sudden, especially after a practice match but I thought this was information that you needed to know right away." Kuroko started. "As I was attending school, I became romantically interested in other people. Kasamatsu-sempai, Imayoshi-sempai, Takao-kun, and Himuro-kun specifically, and while I do not know if I care for them on the same level as I care for Akashi-kun, Kise-kun, Midorima-kun, Momoi-san, Aomine-kun, and Murisakibara-kun I would like to get to know them and would like your blessings. Akashi is willing to give his if they prove themselves to him, so I am asking if you are willing to do the same." Pure silence was followed after that. Everyone turned their attention to the Rakuzan student, to only see him answer with a nod in agreement.

"K-Kurokocchi has feelings for Kasamatsu-sempai?" Kise gasped. He turned to the elder, shorter man who blushed at the accusation. "How could you sempai? I respected you!"

"Hey, I didn't know when I went on a date with him." Kise was on the verge of tears.

"Kurokocchi was your date on Tuesday?" The blonde trembled. Midorima remembered that Takao also had a date that week as well. The emerald teen turned to his hyperactive roommate only to be greeted with a nervous peace sign.

"You are going to do be my personal rickshaw driver until the end of the school year." Midorima announced to the Shuutoku point guard. "You will also have to help me look for all of my lucky items, no matter how long it takes. Please inform the coach that my three wishes have increased to five because of this update."

"Shin-chan…" Takao awed. He did not expect the Shuutoku shooting guard to accept so quickly.

"Kurokocchi, are we really not enough?" Kise whined and held the phantom against him. Kuroko shook his head.

"It is not like that Kise-kun. I am a polyamorous person, and my type of polyamory means being interested in someone does not mean a loss or lack of love or respect for someone else. I care for you very much Kise-kun, and I hope you know that loving or caring for others doesn't make you less important to me." Kuroko said comforting the blonde. Kasamatsu stared at the pair; he could not help but feel bad for upsetting the blonde. Despite allowing his annoying fangirls to watch them practice, the Kaijou ace always spoke well of his boyfriend and how much he loved him. It would already be hard for someone like Ryouta who loved so fiercely, to be accepting of his friends, but now to expect to share the sky-blue boy with his Captain and others that he barely knew. "Kise-kun, please don't cry. Seeing you sad makes me sad too. Would you like to spend time with me tomorrow?"

"So… you'll go on a date with me if I stop crying?" Kise sniffled.

"Yes," The shadow smiled. Kise grinned and instantly the tears dried.

"Yes! I knew those acting lessons would pay off. Hehehe, Kurokocchi is too kind!" The blonde bragged. Kasamatsu growled. The idiot was just trying to successfully guilt a date out of Kuroko? He kicked the blond in the ass, forcing the younger Kaijou student onto the floor so he could squish his head with his foot. "Gyah! Kasamatsu-sempai! Why are you doing this to me?"

"Idiot! No wonder Kuroko-kun wants to go on dates with other people! You pull sleazy crap like that!" Kasamatsu reasoned. Kise whined that he was sorry but the shorter, third year student would hear nothing of it.

"Atsushi, I am surprised that you are taking this well." Himuro wondered. Murisakibara shrugged.

"Kurochin is like candy, he can't help it that he is tasty and that everyone loves him." Weird analogy, but Himuro would not complain. "Besides, if you make Kurochin sad and I find out, I can easily crush Murochin while he's sleep." Well, it was still better than the alternative which was Aomine trying to kill the Touou Captain with his bare hands. Momoi was sandwiched between the two, trying to stop Imayoshi from taunting the tan, young man, and making sure Aomine's blows didn't hit their Captain.

"Dai-chan, we still have a match coming soon! Please calm down!" The pink-haired girl yelled.

"Get out of the way Satsuki! I knew this guy was evil and manipulative, but I didn't know he was also a pervert that would try to taint Tetsu!" Aomine yelled.

"I haven't tried anything Aomine. I haven't bought any lingerie yet!"

"That is it!" The Touou ace announced. The three were like this for a while, everyone becoming awkward spectators of this exchange. It was not until Akashi became fed up with their arguing that he pulled both opposing sides away and ordered them to stop.

"This is not how you should behave. These are Tetsuya's decisions, and the best you may do is to be supportive. I know that can be hard for you Daiki, but if you love Tetsuya as much as you say you do, you will allow him to express love as he desires to." Akashi said to not just the dark-skinned teen, but to all of the Generation of Miracles. Aomine glanced back at Kuroko and sighed. The Captain was always right after all.

"I'm sorry Tetsu," The shadow's eyes that had a touch of worry now had relief. "I can accept Imayoshi-san, if Akashi accepts him."

"Excellent, we will start the examination now starting with Kasamatsu Yukio. If anyone fails to pass my inspection by midnight tonight is not suitable to date Tetsuya, and will be prohibited from another date with him." Akashi said as he opened the door to his room. The Kaijou Captain was a bit peeved by the younger man's attitude, but he did not expect anyone normal to be a part of the Generation of Miracles. Kise could not help but feel sorry for his sempai, not sure what Akashi had planned but it must be rigorous and tough if it meant gaining the status of Kuroko's boyfriend. Everyone tried to press their ears against the door to hear what was going on, but unfortunately for them the red-head had soundproofed the room to ensure total privacy.

They were surprised that after several minutes, Kasamatsu came out and was holding a small, light blue ribbon with a pin attached to it.

"So Kasamatsu-sempai?" Kise asked.

"Uh, yes, I am officially Kuroko-kun's boyfriend according to Akashi." They were all amazed.

"You are truly a formidable person Kasamatsucchi…" Kise awed. Yukio shrugged. Akashi called out Imayoshi Shoichi, who seemed surprised but said nothing. Barely ten minutes later, the Touou Captain had the same pin threaded through his T-shirt and gave Kuroko a cheerful grin. Their date on Monday had been approved and given the green light. Takao Kazunari followed after that, and soon came out with the ribbon pin in his hair to push the wandering strands out of his face.

"Shin-chan, I passed with flying colors!"

"Good, then tonight you may bike me around the city while I do errands." Midorima ordered.

"Eh, so mean!" Takao whined but he still had a happy grin on his face. The Shuutoku point guard blew a kiss to Kuroko, and gave a wink of encouragement to his friend, the Yosen shooting guard. Himuro smiled and felt better now that everyone else had passed as well. He entered the room, locked it shut just as Akashi demanded, and sat on the chair across from the red head. It was a bit intimidating looking at those strange eyes and judgmental stare, but the charming teen managed to suppress his urge to shudder in front of him.

"Do you like children?" Akashi asked casually.

"I do like children. I do not know if I would want to have any right away, but I do like being around children." Himuro said. He remembered that Kuroko loved kids, so it would only make sense that Akashi would want someone to answer positively to the question. Akashi stared at him for a good minute, making the Yosen first year uncomfortable. Was he trying to figure out whether the taller teen was lying?

"How would you prove to Tetsuya that you love him?" Himuro was frozen. He never thought about that. Such a simple question, but the straight-faced ace did not know the answer. The princely man knew that Kuroko liked vanilla shakes, enjoyed events that had children around, loved basketball, wanted a pet dog, and so many other things about the sky-blue teen that would help show how much he loved the boy, but he did not know how to _prove_ it. Perhaps he could say it, but were words powerful enough? Affection, attention, and commitment were proof of love, but was Tatsuya really at that point to say such strong things? He hid his questioning mind as best as he could from the Akashi, but could notice that the intense colors of the Rakuzan Captain's eyes were growing darker with each passing second. "Well?"

"I…" The dark-haired teen started. "I don't know if I could prove it words, but I would make sure that I said I love you to him every day. And if he didn't believe that, I would do my best with every action that I took with him to prove to him otherwise." The nervous teen answered as calmly as he could. He could not sense anything from the unreadable red-head; the fear of failure was looming over him.

"Congratulations, you pass." Akashi announced and handed him the fated pin. Himuro looked at the sky-blue object, and whispered a grateful thank you to the shorter first year.

* * *

Hurray! Well, this chapter is finally done. Next will be Kise and Imayoshi's dates with Kuroko, and hopefully that should be shorter than this random chapter!


	7. Chapter 7 Sunsets and Lingerie

**Summary**: Dating Kise and Imayoshi is never easy...

**Notes**:  
1. SM Department Store is a popular department store in Asia. It is kind of like Walmart, but better quality stuff.  
2. MoriKuro friendship! Random, but I thought Kuroko needed some male friends OUTSIDE of Seirin that weren't gay for him. Shocking, I know...  
3. If you like Hanamiya, you'll probably hate me for this chapter. I'm so sorry.

**Warnings**: Queer Gender issues! If the idea that someone does not fit into the Binary standard in society (deciding definitely if one is either a man or woman), disturbs you, you won't like this chapter or how I characterize Imayoshi. You might want to leave then.

Not going to lie, this chapter was fun to write. I feel evil for saying that. Also, any fans of HaiKuro? I don't know, Haizaki is an awesome character, but he definitely would not get along with Kise...

**Word**: 7,168 Words

* * *

Kagami groaned when he heard the sound of a drawer slamming shut. Tuffs of red and black poked out of the blankets so the wild-looking teen could glance at the clock. It was almost ten in the morning.

"Kuroko… its Sunday! Why are you up so early? Aren't you tired after that practice match yesterday?" Taiga asked in between yawns. The shadow was supposed to have the worst stamina in comparison to anyone on the team (even the non-regulars).

"I was able to take a nap after dinner yesterday, so I am not as tired as you are. I was actually awake earlier, for I wanted to visit my grandmother and help her with anything at the daycare." Kagami cocked an eyebrow at the idea, but remembered Kuroko saying over dinner once that his grandmother was a retired, kindergarten teacher, and that she started running a daycare at their residence once Kuroko was in Middle School and was became busier with basketball. "I am going to SM department store to buy Kise-kun a present for our date. Would you like anything from there?"

"Nah, I'm just going to sleep. I'll probably pick up something from the kitchen when I get hungry…" Kagami was about to warn his shadow to not do anything strenuous due to stamina-building exercises that Coach Alex planned to have tomorrow, but immediately fell back asleep. Tetsuya smiled at his brash light falling back into a deep slumber so quickly, and made sure to keep quiet while he finished getting dressed. Since he had no idea what the blonde's plans were for the abruptly scheduled date, the phantom decided to wear all black, casual clothes that did not cling to his body. After adjusting his lightweight cardigan, Kuroko quietly slipped out of the door, barely making any noise so he did not disturb his roommate. As the shadow made his way down the stairs and to the ground floor, he noticed a familiar head of medium-length, gray hair. He sped up his pace until he was walking along side Mayuzumi.

"Hello Mayuzumi-san," Kuroko greeted. Chihiro looked to his left and merely nodded at the invisible teen's presence. Those eyes that were always blank had a hint of surprise. "Are you going out as well?"

"Yes, I wanted to get a picture frame from SM. I also thought it would be a good day for me to work on my stamina." The elder student said as he pointed at his ankle weights. "It is only five kilograms for each foot, but I am not blessed with the best stamina. While this is the best I can do for now, I am hoping by the Championship league to increase it to twenty kilograms. What are you doing today?"

"I want to buy a gift for Kise-kun. He loves anything to do with airplanes and aeronautics. I remember one time when he rambled on and on about going to NASA, and how much he enjoyed that experience. Would it be too much trouble to accompany you to the department store sempai? Since I am going that way as well, maybe you would like some company." Kuroko offered. The shadow found Mayuzumi interesting. The Rakuzan student did not get startled by his sudden appearances, and had an extremely calming nature that was similar to his own. It felt soothing and natural to be around the elder man, as if they were not hindered by expectations that neither of them cared to fulfill.

"I would not mind that at all." With that answer, both basketball players walked outside together, standing by the street corner waiting for cars to pass. Mayuzumi surprised Kuroko and gently grasped his hand. Before the shadow could ask for an explanation, Chihiro shrugged it off as merely precaution for Tetsuya's safety. It felt nice holding the elder man's hand; it was barely there and yet Kuroko felt protected from harm, especially when the two would encounter a large crowd and Mayuzumi would get closer so that they did not separate. The phantom felt like he was in the presence of a guardian angel watching over him, a being who would protect him without the younger teen necessarily feeling or being disturbed by the other's overpowering presence. While he did not mind his energetic lovers being protective and caring for him in their own ways, at times Kuroko found that they were too noisy, high-strung, and too much for the normally quiet teenager to handle. "Ah, I think we're here Kuroko-kun. Should we look for your item first? I don't know if you'll be able to find anything with airplanes here though."

The intimidating and large department store could be a confusing place.

"I think we should find Mayuzumi-sempai's picture frame first. It would be easier to find such an object in the furniture department. I would not want to agitate you into more exercise than necessary because of your weights." Kuroko suggested. Agreeing that was probably the most logical plan, the two spend the next thirty minutes looking through the store's selection of frames. They chuckled lightly at some of the advertisement photos that were set in the frames in order to entice people into buying them, both of them at times were compelled to recreate the hilarious images themselves. Couples over-exaggerated laughter, children poking each other's chubby cheeks, and other odd examples were acted out by the surprisingly quiet and unnoticeable teens.

"I am actually having fun." Mayuzumi commented.

"Mayuzumi-san seems to be very good at this. Do you play charades often at parties?"

"No, I generally do not hang out with people. I do not attract many friends." Kuroko could see a tinge of sadness in the elder's eyes.

"Would you hang out with people if my friends and I asked you to spend some time with us?" The shadow offered. The third year was surprised by the Seirin student asking such a thing, and shook his head at the idea.

"I don't want to flirt so closely with danger." Before Kuroko could ask what that meant, Mayuzumi brushed the wispy, light-blue bangs out of his way, and placed a soft kiss on the rarely exposed skin. "Sorry about this Kuroko-kun, but Captain's orders."

The shadow was about to grab the other's hand to extract more information, but despite having weights on the Rakuzan student sped off with a red face and down the escalators. Kuroko sighed. Though he wanted to race after the other, he glanced at the clock in the department store and noticed that there was not enough time if he wanted to get Kise a present and be on time for their date that afternoon. The transparent man knew this was probably not going to be last time seeing the senior at Teiko Academy, and decided it was best to wait until their next visit to have a conversation with him about his strange words.

After the sky-blue man asked a startled employee working there, the phantom, sixth man found out that there was a souvenir section in the basement floor for tourists that would have a few items that involved airplanes. Kuroko followed her instructions, noting that there were many people of different nationalities scattered about and talking in foreign languages. He was not too surprised by their presence (after all, this section of the store was specifically catered to this type of clientele), but the milky-blue boy did not expect this many people. It was almost a hassle getting off the escalator.

As he searched through the various paraphernalia, the observant shadow spotted a familiar person. Short, dark hair that had an emerald tint in the store lights, dark, narrow eyes, and a slim built, Kuroko remembered that the man was a part of Kise's basketball team. The first year approached the Kaijou student, spooking him in the process.

"Gyah! My goodness, you scared me. Oh, aren't you a part of Seirin Dormitory?" The senior asked. Tetsuya nodded. "Ah, now I remember. You're Kise's boyfriend; Kuroko Tetsuya I believe is your name."

"Yes," The shadow confirmed.

"Ah, I don't think I introduced myself to you. Moriyama Yoshitaka and I am a senior in Kaijou dorm. What are you doing here?" The elder asked. Once Kuroko explained that he was looking for a present for Kise, the other revealed that he too was trying to woo a cute girl in his class into going out with him by buying thee perfect gift. At first, it seemed cute that the Kaijou senior was gushing over a young woman who captivated him, but the transparent man was disturbed by the elder going into great detail about this girl's irresistible charm and beauty. Particularly when Moriyama started talking about her in a more sexual manner and the territory of the conversation grew to very uncomfortable levels.

"Sempai, not to disrespect you but I do not think any gift you give this girl will peak her interests in you if you objectify her in this way." Kuroko added. "Not to say that your feelings for her aren't genuine, but I think she would like to be valued for more than her looks." Moriyama appeared confused.

"But don't you like Kise because of his looks too?"

"Yes, but I do appreciate him for more than his looks. His looks are at most, ten percent of what I find appealing about him." The phantom's sincerity really touched the ladies' man. "When I first met Kise, I thought he was handsome but I really fell in love with his passion. He wants to enjoy life and do things his way. Kise-kun is an uplifting person who likes to try out many things, and despite how silly he can get, he is actually very romantic, dependable, and loving. There are many things to love about Kise-kun, and his looks are actually quite a poor quality to think of in comparison to his other great traits." Yoshitaka paused and gave an incredulous look at the shadow. "Is there something wrong with what I said?"

"No, it is just that I remembered why Kise loved you so much. He said that you always tried to see everyone in a positive light. I can see why he would say that." Moriyama smiled and gently pat the younger boy on the head.

"I am not interested if that's what you're thinking of." Kuroko teased.

"Aw come on, you're cute. I'd date you. You're giving Kasamatsu a chance, so why not me?" The elder joked back. Tetsuya's brows furrowed at being called cute, but he had grown used to the unmanly adjective after being called that by so many. "Hey, I think you should probably be heading back to the Academy. Kise would probably have a fit if you were late." They said their goodbyes, and Kuroko left once again for the hunt for Kise's present.

It thankfully took Kuroko only a few minutes to settle on a small, metal keychain with a charm in the design of a large airplane, and purchased it. The nice woman working behind the counter put it in a black box with a yellow ribbon to top it once she found out it was for a date, giving the gift a more dressy appearance. After thanking her, the shadow raced back to the school, occasionally checking his cellphone for the time. As Moriyama warned, if Kuroko did not heed to the exact time that Kise asked Kuroko to meet him at, the phantom could already recall the images of floods of text messages and calls that would be nothing but the blonde worrying where they sky-blue boy was, and threatening to call the police to find him and make sure he was safe. Luckily there were not that many people as when he walked the streets with Mayuzumi, so there was no congestion of heavy traffic in his way.

The phantom was huffing heavily, breathing through his mouth rather than his nose in order to get more oxygen by the time he reached Kise's door. Despite his rushed pace, he made sure the present was still intact and just as beautiful as the sales person made it. Tetsuya brushed his clothes of any foreign debris from outside and adjusted any awkwardly placed clothing. After one more check-through of everything the milky-blue teen managed a tiny smile before knocking on Kise's door. A warm greeting of his name with that usual "cchi" added made the shadow even more excited.

"Hello Kise-kun, I hope you are well." The misdirection specialist greeted, warmer than his usual tone. He pulled the nicely wrapped present out of his bag and held it out to Ryouta. "I wanted to get a present for you after yesterday's surprise. I hope it is to your liking." Kise was surprised by the kind gesture and graciously accepted it. It was usual for the phantom to give a sudden present that was not holiday related.

"Ah, it is an Airbus380! Those are those massive aircrafts for those really long flights across the Pacific Ocean. I remember my parents took picture of the one that they flew from Tokyo to Los Angeles for me. I still have them in my room. Thank you so much Kurokocchi! I'm going to put my dorm key through it right now." The excited blonde said as he fumbled with his pockets to find the key to his room. The little crinkles at the outer corner of Kise's eyes made Kuroko happy. The shadow of Seirin knew that when the Kaijou ace was genuinely joyous when his smile reached his eyes. Feeling wonderful that the model loved the simple gift, the phantom leaned in and gave a tiny peck at the corner of the other's mouth. While the passing specialist never regretted kissing his loved ones, he had to admit that Kise's reaction to him kissing the blonde being a bone-crushing hug was a bit much. "Oh Kurokocchi! You are the best, you know that?" Kise said before replying with a kiss of his own on the teal teen's head. "We better get going. We don't want to be late for our lunch reservations, and we also have a fantastic afternoon planned." Kise grinned.

Kise put on his sunglasses as a disguise (a skill that he learned from Midorima) and the two left for a small, French-inspired bistro that had the cozy feel and perfume of rich, aromatic coffee like the authentic thing. Since the blonde wanted to minimize the chances of any fans recognizing him, the two small forwards requested to climb the winding, narrow stairs and into the secluded booth fitted for two in the corner. It did not take long for their waitress to appear due to the combination of very few people in the restaurant at that time and her instant attraction to the charismatic model. Kuroko really loved that about Kise. His presence, simply being there, existing, made everyone around him instantly cheer up, no matter how they were before seeing the basketball player.

"So Kurokocchi, do you still like looking at sunsets?" Kise asked once the girl left with their orders. Kuroko nodded.

"Yes, I find them to be a very powerful image. Looking at them makes me feel peaceful." The shadow explained. This made the already energetic, Kaijou, first year pepped to hear.

"That's good… I think you'll really enjoy this date!" He paused to smile lovingly at the phantom. "You know, while you are quite adorable, it can be hard at times to truly know what you're thinking." Ryouta sighed. "I just want to make sure that when we have our time together, that I made you as happy as possible. Your happiness if mine Kurokocchi!" The shadow took a sip from his water, hiding the faint blush creeping onto his cheeks.

"I don't care what we do on a date together, as long as I am with someone I love like Kise-kun." The blonde flushed a dark pink in color, but said nothing. He did not really know what to say. "Why did you ask about sunsets though?"

"Ah, it's because we're going to take a train ride and a small hike. There's this mountain with an amazing view, and I want you to see it with me. Everyone says the sunsets there are incredible and…" Kise remembered something that made him blush a darker shade. "And… there's a rumor that says the couples that kiss while watching a sun setting from that mountain, will be rewarded with endless days of love for each other… kind of silly, huh?"

"I don't think it is silly. I think it is nice that Kise-kun wishes to have that kind of omen upon on relationship." Kuroko answered bluntly.

Lunch was pretty typical for the two of them. Ryouta would try to pressure the shorter boy to eat more food, while telling tales of his modeling career, the travels it brought him, and some of the girls he met along the way with Kuroko paying attention to every detail quietly (and trying to push the food the other kept piling onto his plate). While it was ordinary, it was nice to spend that quality time alone. Tetsuya admitted that out of all the people he dated, he saw Kise the least. It was certainly not because he disliked the blonde in particular in comparison to the others, but with the model's schedule, their dedication to the basketball club, and the Academy's strict grades policy, there just was not as much time as the two used to have when they were in Middle School.

"You know Kurokocchi; I really wanted to thank you for the game yesterday."

"You're welcome, and you played well Kise-kun." The Kaijou student shook his head.

"I mean, I feel like I gained something back. I don't know… losing to you, it felt kind of bad at first but then it made me realize how much I want to play and I like to play." Kise spouted, not really sure how to describe what these feelings were. "Before, I used to find practice kind of boring. But now I really like going and improving, so that I won't lose again. I guess I forgot what it is like to actually enjoy playing basketball!" Kuroko stared at his blonde boyfriend, amazed by the sudden transformation. It worked. Beating the blonde using his style of basketball and the strong teamwork Seirin had worked. Hopefully the others would feel the same if the shadow continued on this path. "Hey Kurokocchi, we should probably leave for our train. I don't want us to be late."

Kuroko looked out the window of the train, using his hand to support his face and cover his soft smile. Spring was definitely here, and the magnificent trees that grew alongside the train tracks were in full bloom. Kise was practically pressing his face into the window, mouth gaping at the sight, and his hands were semi-clenching, as if he were a small child trying to grasp the beautiful flowers in his vision. Rich pigments of pink, peach, violet, and silvery-blue cascaded into the abyss of thick tree tops, and danced their way to the ground with the gentle wind. As children from the dense city, it felt almost other-worldly to see no buildings, only miles and miles of lush flora and clear skies above the horizon.

"This alone is already worth the trip." Kuroko said.

"Yeah, I know what you mean! Thank goodness we came during this time. If it were fall or winter, the trees would probably be bare." Kise added. Since it was a winding ride to the mountain, the two Miracle boys played cards while they waited. The blonde had the perverted suggestion of playing Strip Poker, but was given the effective answer of a jab to the belly. "Oy… how do you hit so hard when you have such small muscles…?" Kise groaned. Even if they did play Strip Poker, the blonde would have been the one to be completely naked. A naturally blank-faced Kuroko seemed to be winning every game they played, upsetting the competitive Kise. Game after game, whenever it seemed like Ryouta was going to win this match, Tetsuya trumped his best play and take the victory right out of the taller teen's hands. "Honestly Kurokocchi, what is going on here?" The blonde whined exasperatedly.

"I don't know," The phantom shrugged. Kise put his cards down and took a deep breath. A mischievous glint in the blonde's eyes was all Kuroko saw before Kise leaned in and firmly planted his lips against the sky-blue boy's own. It was like getting kissed by the sun. Powerful, dynamic, fiery, and Kuroko felt like he was melting. Still, it never seems like enough. Kaijou's ace put both of his hands on the passing specialist's shoulders; he was not going to budge. Yes, Kise dated (and still does) plenty of women that adored him, and he loved their attention and affection, but this was the one that matters the most to him. The person who if asked, the blonde would give up all the others, make his heart blank, and make it so that Kuroko filled all the spaces and cracks. Someone who saw past his phony smiles and half-hearted efforts to be pleasing, there was no need to hide from him.

"Kise-kun," Kuroko almost purred. Another kiss was needed for the wondrous sound. His name passing through that enticing mouth made the blonde hungry for another. Before their lips could collide again, the train hit the brakes, sending Kise crashing into his shorter lover and both of them into an uncomfortable, tangled mess of limbs and aching backs.

"Damn it! I can't believe I got cock-blocked by a train… god really hates me Kurokocchi…" The blonde whined.

"Kise-kun… you're heavy…" Kuroko gasped in between breaths.

"Gyah! I'm sorry!" The model cried out and immediately jumped off so that the invisible teen could breathe.

The train was stopping because they had reached their destination. It was at the bottom of the mountain, where the only thing there was a visitor's center with vending machines and restrooms, a large, laminated map of the trails, and several dirt paths that led to various points on the mountain. Kise wanted to go on the Western trail, knowing from experience that it was the shortest in distance and had a great view of the setting sun.

It was a bit steep for the shorter teen, giving Kise the great excuse to hold his hand all the way to the end. Kuroko loved how the trail followed the shallow stream that had the running, crystal water of freshly melted snow from the highest peaks. There were curious raccoons, chirping birds tending to their young babies, and even a wandering, small, black bear came into the couple's sight-seeing. Ryouta would point excitedly at everything, his eyes widened like a child. It was probably this enthusiasm for seeing new things that made the Copycat so brilliant at what he did, but honestly in this moment, Kuroko could only think how wonderful it was to see Kise in his glory. Natural expressions, words gushing with excitement and adrenaline, sheen of cool, glowing sweat, and the golden rays of the sun bouncing off his skin, Kise looked and acted like an angel.

"We're almost at the top Kurokocchi. We better hurry! The sun is almost done completely!" Both raced up the last few steps until they reached the seating area dedicated to tourists. There was only one other couple there, in their thirties and too busy looking at the view to pay attention to the arriving teens. The ghostly teen and his partner settled for the bench in the grass, watching the sun sink further into the ground. The sky was exuberant peach and gold in color, and it almost blended with the tree line they saw on their journey to this spot. Burnt oranges, pastel lilacs, and fresh greens melted into each other, an explosion of surrealism and ethereal bliss. "Kurokocchi, there is still time for that legend to come true." Kuroko smiled.

They swooped in quickly, kissing each other as the sun became barely visible. Wanting to be more daring (and reward the blonde for his returned love of basketball), Kuroko poked his tongue between the other's lips, stroking the bottom lip to ask to enter. Kise quickly obliged, shivering when their tongues made contact. It was not like the sky-blue teenager to be so bold; the blonde realized that this was the first time he had ever French-kissed the other man. Shockwaves of pleasure surged through both of them. Kise was unable to contain himself and wrapped his left arm around Kuroko's waist, effectively forcing the slimmer man against his solid chest. Tetsuya let out of soft mew of encouragement, threading his fingers together behind Kise's neck. They stayed this way for minutes, exploring the other person's body and sending waves of numbing euphoria shooting through them. It was only when they pulled away so Kuroko could breathe did the two realized the sun was gone and night had begun.

"Hahaha, I should probably take Kurokocchi home. That older couple isn't even here anymore! Oops!" Kise said with no remorse. He had the biggest grin on his face. Kuroko could not help a small smile back, but remembered that he had a curfew on Sunday. Oh, the pain of a Boston Crab Hold…

Unfortunately, neither boy could make the train speed faster back to Tokyo. By the time they arrived onto Campus, all of Seirin's basketball team was standing outside of Kuroko's dorm.

"Where have you been?" Riko asked intimidatingly, holding a giant, paper fan. Kise gulped for his smaller lover. "Well?"

"I'm sorry, we lost track of time and the train couldn't-" Before Kuroko could finish explaining himself, he was bombarded with whacks from the makeshift weapon. Kise tried to shield the phantom, but the Assistant Coach was quick when she was angry.

"We were worried sick about you idiot! Kiyoshi," the Captain paused to point at the giant Center player eating brown-sugar candies by the door frame. "He even suggested that we go search for you! Don't forget your curfew tomorrow!" Hyuuga scolded. Still, it was nice to be concerned about.

Today was one of those days that Imayoshi was actually thankful that Aomine and Momoi did not show up for practice. Imayoshi ended practice fifteen minutes early that Monday with the permission of Coach Harasawa. Normally the hard working Captain did not skimp on such things, but today would be a special exception. Sakurai could feel a sensation of dread and doom as he dried off his sweat with a towel; the shooting guard watched as his manipulative, mischievous Captain called a number on his speed dial with a wide grin on his face similar to the one painted on the elder man's mouth when they were playing a match. The apology-spewing freshman wondered if Imayoshi noticed his cellphone's volume was too loud or he had been waiting for quite a while for the person on the other side to answer him. Before Sakurai could warn the devious, glasses-wearing teen that his phone's volume was inappropriate for a public area because others would hear, an irritated voice answered. Ryou did not recognize the individual, but whoever they were did not sound pleased by the Touou student's call to them.

"What do you want?" The gruff voice practically spat. The Touou, first year flinched; he could almost feel a paralyzing venom surge through his veins just from hearing the distant voice from the phone. Sakurai felt sorry for anyone within the angered person's vicinity.

"Mako-chan! You sound like you received some bad news." Imayoshi pouted but there was no concern in his voice. "Would you like me to tell you some good news? I'm sure you'll be ecstatic when you hear it. Come on, humor sempai. You were always my favorite in Middle School." Ryou froze. His senior Captain used to go to the same Middle School as Hanamiya Makoto, and knowing the intense, sadistic mind games that the elder played, there was a good chance that the exasperated "Mako-chan" was the scary, bad boy and Uncrowned King many were cautious of in the basketball world. Sakurai instinctively gulped in fear. He glanced around the room to see everyone else was listening as well.

"Make it quick," Hanamiya sighed.

"Now there is my polite and respectful kouhai." Imayoshi gushed. "Do you remember Kuroko-kun? He's that cute, light-blue haired boy that came by my room the other day. You should, because you couldn't take your eyes off him. In fact, I think you were concerned about him." Wakamatsu gasped and covered his mouth his large hands to prevent anymore loud noises from escaping. "No, no, no, what was I thinking? You weren't concerned; you were fawning over the boy. Constantly talking to him before I showed up, and blushing when he said that you weren't as bad a person as he once thought you were. It was so adorable! My dear, sweet kouhai is growing up in front of my very eyes… first love and all." Shoichi teased. Everyone's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. Hanamiya Makoto had a crush on the phantom of Seirin Dormitory? It seemed as absurd as finding out something scandalous like Hanamiya cross-dressed during the full moon to prevent transforming into a werewolf. Subconsciously, the entire Touou team leaned closer to hear more.

"I'm hanging-"

"Wait Mako-chan! I haven't even told you the wonderful news! On Saturday, Kuroko-kun officially dubbed me as his boyfriend!" The messy-haired man practically bounced when he said that. Susa cocked an eyebrow at the Captain's questionable behavior, but kept silent. "Kuroko-kun even says that he cares for me. Tonight on our date, after dinner, he said that he would go lingerie shopping with me and carry all the bags. He's so polite and adorable. Kuroko-kun tries so hard to please despite being uncomfortable and inexperienced with this kind of thing. I wonder if he's like that in other ways… oh! Aren't you happy that I told you Mako-chan?" Everyone's blood ran cold. While no one in Touou was friends with the devious, Uncrowned King, but if the bad boy was as smitten with the shadow as Imayoshi implied, then this taunting and flaunting of his status as Kuroko's boyfriend (along with implying that they were reaching extremely, intimate levels in said relationship that involved revealing undergarments) was just unusually cruel.

"… You are evil Imayoshi…" The crunch of a phone and an obnoxious dial tone alerting that the number the Touou Captain called no longer exists made the pleased Captain hang up with a bigger smirk on his face than before. Hanamiya could be cute when a person knew which buttons to push.

"Everyone, please know that if any of you tell Aomine-kun or Momoi-san about my conversation with Hanamiya Makoto, that practice for a whole month will be quadruple the usual regimen." Imayoshi calmly warned. While he was Kuroko's boyfriend, he did not think that the other lovers would appreciate him bringing the shadow on a shopping trip to the lingerie section. Most of team could only nod in reply; the Touou, third year's sadism knew no boundaries.

"Um… sorry if this is too private to ask Captain, but was all that stuff you told Hanamiya-san true?" Sakurai hesitantly asked. Shoichi nodded.

"Ah, but not in the way that he's probably thinking, for I don't think Kuroko-kun likes me that much yet. After our dinner date, he said that he would help me shop for a few things." The Captain confessed. Still though, everyone knew that their entire dormitory just became Kirisaki Daiichi High School's number one enemy. "I'll see you all at the same time tomorrow then," Imayoshi greeted his good bye before racing back to his room to shower and prep himself for a date. There was something special that he had for the phantom.

Kuroko made sure to arrive at the restaurant exactly at six in the afternoon as Imayoshi had instructed. After startling a waiter, the man was pleased to inform Kuroko that his date was ready for him and that he was a lucky man to have such a lovely lady waiting for him. It confused the shadow. Did the man make a mistake? It was not until he reached the table by the window did the invisible, sixth man see a gorgeous, tall woman wearing a svelte, navy blue, turtleneck sweater, dark gray, billowy, knee-length skirt, fashionable, black lace tights over milky legs, and some comfortable, black, pointy-toe flats, but the face had Imayoshi's features. The messy hair was combed a little more so that it framed the slim face rather than lay as it pleased, and the Touou Captain must have added extensions or a partial wig to account for the long, flowing hairs that went past the shoulders. Kuroko could even tell that the other bothered to wear a light, pink shade of lipstick for the date.

"Hello Imayoshi-san," Kuroko greeted. The waiter left the two alone, knowing couples liked to have a bit of conversation before ordering.

"You know, we really should call each other by first names on our dates. You can all me Shoichi or something shorter if you would like." The third year said. "I'm sure you would not mind if I called you Tetsuya."

"I would not mind that at all Im-Shoichi-san." Kuroko corrected. "Is there any reason that you are wearing women's clothing? I merely thought that you stating I would go lingerie shopping with you was a joke in an attempt to rile me up." Imayoshi sighed and opened his eyes, revealing dark gray pools that had a tint of uncertainty.

"No Tetsuya, I was serious… I wanted to confide in you before I told anyone else because you're the only person I think would understand." Shoichi paused; his words did not flow as elegantly as usual. "I always felt like I never fit into the two choices that life gives you to pick, whether you feel like a man or a woman. There are some days that I do feel like a man, times when I feel like a woman, and there are days where I am just somewhere in between… Kuroko, I don't know if you understand since you identify yourself confidently as Cisgender, but I think I am possibly Gender-Fluid. I am sure that I am Queer Gender, because I don't fall under the category of Cisgender man, but I am neither a Transgender woman either. It is awfully confusing for me and particularly frustrating given that I am already eighteen years old and yet I still don't know something very important about myself. It would be one thing if I were strictly a Cisgender man that liked to cross-dress but it is different. I can feel it. I feel like a woman today, and I like being a woman just like I like being a man. And then there are days that I am both, and it feels great to have both worlds bridged together…" Imayoshi tapered off with a small, weak smile.

"What is your biggest worry about this discovery if you think it feels natural to you?" Kuroko asked deeply concerned.

"My worries? Everything is probably the short answer." The senior chuckled. "What would the school think if I came to class like this, wearing the girl's uniform? Would my team accept me as their Captain, knowing this was who I am? Could I even play basketball if I felt like a girl that day? Can I… can I find someone who loves me, knowing I am constantly walking past different boundaries society has practically set in stone? Could I ever tell my parents this? I guess the everyday life things." Imayoshi sighed. The dark-haired teen grabbed Kuroko's hand and kissed it gently, not wanting to show the fear and weakness in those gray eyes. Feeling fear and weak from the thought of someone Shoichi was growing interested in because they could not accept him.

"Shoichi-san still has the same personality though, whether you are a man, woman, or something else. While at times you can be a bit insensitive when it comes to your mind games, I don't think you're a bad person. I will care for you no matter what you chose to be on any day." Kuroko stroked his thumb over the Touou student's knuckles. "You look very lovely tonight. Since you are a woman today, would you like to be called or referred to 'she' during our date, or would you prefer the gender neutral term 'ze' instead?" Imayoshi was shocked by the other's sudden acceptance over the situation.

"I would like to be called she, if you don't mind."

"It is not for me to mind or decide. If you want to be addressed as she, then you will. A lady must always be respected." The phantom stated. The young woman grinned, a more familiar expression that graced her face.

"Thank you Tetsuya," Imayoshi whispered. Dinner was normal after that, conversations mostly focused on basketball, songs they found themselves listening to on the radio, and other, typical topics that teenagers found themselves talking about. It was a bit awkward talking about sexual things, particularly Imayoshi wanted to bring Kuroko shopping so that he could pick out what he found pleasing. While the elder teen was very attractive, even if the shadow did not make a promise to Akashi, Tetsuya was not sure that Shoichi was the right person to have as his first time as the dark-haired woman did not possess what Kuroko would call a gentle personality. An interesting, fast-at-work, and stunning mind, but softness was not one of the Touou, third year's strongest qualities.

"Excuse me dear lady, but are you done with your meal?" The waiter asked. Imayoshi nodded and allowed the kind man to take her plate. He took Kuroko's plate as well, surprised that the young man barely ate anything at all.

After a minor battle over the check, the Captain of Touou's basketball team won and merely stated that it was a thank you for the shadow being so patient and kind to her. Tetsuya only accepted when she agreed that next time, he would pay for her meal.

After a light walk, the odd couple found themselves in front of the luxury, lingerie boutique that Imayoshi desired to go to. The elder teen had gotten a job over the summer to fund the growing awareness of her feminine side, secretly buying garments over the break and the habit only grew once she entered the Academy. Walls, dressers, and stands full of high-end brands such as La Perla, Kiki de Montparnasse, and Wacoal, and all undergarments in any size, shape, and design that one might desire. Kuroko was rather thankful for his lack of presence, feeling a light blush send tingles to his face due to the sight of so many bras, panties, and other intimate pieces of clothing that were sexually provocative. Imayoshi held his hand, making sure not to lose the invisible, younger boy in the store. It would be rather disastrous at the last minute to be spending time finding your date in the midst the sea of women's clothing.

It did not surprise the sky-blue teen that the young woman chose garments in her dorm's colors, red, black, and white. Still, her choices in designs made him rather flustered. They were always made with rather flimsy material, and hugged the body and left little to the imagination. It was always ribbon thongs, plunging bras, and cute accessories like hair clips, sexy gloves, or thigh-high stockings that highlighted the curve of the legs, and every single time the other held an item of interest up to her face, she would always absent-mindedly ask the Seirin student how he felt about it. Of course, the shadow spoke the honest truth, which was that Imayoshi would look good in pretty much any of the garments that were in the store because the dark-haired teenager was striking and beautiful, but it did not seem to help the other in the decision process.

"Come on Tetsuya, you must have a preference. You can't tell me that you like them all." Imayoshi softly groaned against the sixth man's ear. He shuddered, not realizing the tension that his spine was carrying through-out the journey in the store. "Let me make it easier for you. Smooth satin or ruffled lace?" Kuroko took a deep breath.

"I think satin would sit under your clothes better. It is softer." Kuroko finally said.

"Good… now, do you like flower prints, animal prints, or abstract prints?"

"Flower prints would probably be the prettiest on Shoichi-san…" The teenage boy mumbled, trying his best to avert eye contact.

"Aw Tetsuya…" Imayoshi leaned in, licking the outer shell of the shorter teen's ear. "You know, it is too bad you made that promise to Akashi. I'm the kind of girl that wouldn't mind taking you up to her room on the first date… I bet it would feel nice to have you inside me, right now…" She moaned into his ear in a low voice so only he could hear. Kuroko sucked in, his body frozen. "Would you like that? Having me underneath you, groaning and moaning as you made love to me? Dressed in nothing but these?" The dark-haired woman asked as she lifted up a black bra and barely there thong. When she saw the blush on his face reach the tip of his ears and down his neck, Imayoshi giggled and pulled away, satisfied by the results of her teasing. "Well, I'm going to pay for these. Wait for me outside, okay?"

"… Yes," The phantom breathed out and raced out of the shop as quickly as he could. He did not have to wait long for Shoichi, who came out with a medium sized bag and a grin on her face. They walked back to the Academy under the street lights that illuminated the city, hand-in-hand and glad to be with someone that understood their complex identities. When they parted at the door and went their separate ways back to their rooms however…

"Hey! Kuroko! You said that you would remember your curfew. It is almost ten!" The Captain of Seirin yelled angrily.

"And you lied to your sempais… you said that you were going on a date with Imayoshi, but I saw you come in with a girl…" Riko added, fan ready to hit the small forward player.

"But that was Imayoshi-san," Kuroko corrected them. Hyuuga and Riko, the mother and father of the basketball team stared at the shadow, at each other, and back at the former Teiko, trump card.

"You are going to get hit for making me question my sexuality." Hyuuga decided. Oh crap…

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this strange chapter. Next chapter is Akashi's date with Kuroko and everyone spying on them, and some NijiKuro thrown at the end because I can't help myself.


	8. Chapter 8 Dating Former Captains

**Summary**: Poor Akashi can never seem to find proper time to spend with Kuroko, which leads to a fateful meeting with Seto Kentarou, Hanamiya (yes, more of him), and a nice time with Nijimura.

**Notes**:  
1. Izuki's puns are terrible. I deeply apologized. It is a mix of both Japanese ones and English ones. So sorry if you don't get them!  
2. It's getting kind of sexy in this fanfic, so the rating might change soon. Not this chapter, but soon (because I really cannot control my perverted tendencies).

Sorry this is so late. I have mostly just been crying over the thought that SetoKuro isn't popular. Why? IT IS SO ADORABLE. Sleepy cuties with messy hair... also, Seto doesn't participate in rough play that much so I can imagine Kuroko actually (without a long ass time of redemption / thinking about it) saying yes to a date with him right away! By the way, incase any of you were still confused I am following Plan A.

**Word Count**: 7,157

* * *

Kagami heard an annoying knock on the door, groaning at the thought of having to tell yet another person from Kuroko's harem that no, Kuroko was not free to go on an impromptu date with them. It was a common annoyance that Taiga had gotten used to since the beginning of the year, but it only got worse when the sky-blue teen added four more boyfriends to his love circle. Thankfully Akashi, Momoi, and the phantom's two third year lovers were too smart, busy, or mature to consistently bother the wild-looking teen for such requests, but the others (disappointingly even Tatsuya fell under this category) were not as considerate. When the Japanese-America teen heard another knock much more aggressive than the first, he trudged to the door and swung it open, banging the school property hard enough against the wall that the knob etched a good sized dent into it. To the duo-colored teen's surprise, he was greeted by the smiling faces of the second years that made up Seirin's basketball team, their emergency medical aid, and the assistant coach. Kagami instantly dropped his scowl and respectfully gave a little bow along with an apology. They giggled at the foreign boy's behavior and dismissed it, knowing that their presence was unexpected.

"Hello everyone… um, what are you doing here?" Kagami asked. "We don't have practice on Sundays, unless there was something that I missed?" Kiyoshi shook his head.

"No, no, mama and papa of the basketball team are concerned about their child." Teppei said cheerfully, ignoring Hyuuga and Riko's glares. "Kuroko-kun has been close to or has missed his curfew a lot this week. As sempai, all of us have a duty to protect his well-being. If you don't mind telling us, we'd like to know where Kuroko-kun is so that we can follow him!" Taiga wanted to smack his forehead from the blunt, Iron Heart's words.

"You could be a little more subtle Kiyoshi," Tsuchida said.

"But isn't it always better when you're honest?" Teppei stated rather than asked. Kagami rolled his eyes.

"Don't give us that look Kagami-kun! Kuroko-kun has very little stamina, and we can't risk him being too exhausted for practice or a match because of all of these dates. Then add all of his extra practice time that he does on the side, and this could be a bomb that implodes on itself." Riko told the Seirin ace. "We are doing this not just for Kuroko's health, but for the sake of the team. Do you want Seirin to lose against Shinkyo Academy tomorrow? Otou-san will not be an easy enemy to defeat."

"Well, no coach, but I am a little disturbed. You're stalking Kuroko for the team's sake? No offense, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. Kuroko's not dumb. He would never jeopardize his health. He's a pretty normal guy that happens to date a lot of people."

"Just because he is dating someone-I mean, people, this does not excuse his repeated offenses against the rules." Riko pointed out.

"But he's been keeping up with everyone else at practice, along with his own supplements during his free time." Taiga added. It was only the responsibility of a light to defend his shadow? Kagami was not really sure, but it made him uncomfortable to have to be in this situation.

"But Kagami-kun, we're curious as to what a date between two Generation of Miracles is like." Koganei injected. Mitobe sighed and shook his head at his best friend's strange reason.

"Yes, Kuroko isn't that normal. He's dating the Generation of Miracles and is one himself. They are the actors while Kuroko is the stage hands that dictate the flow." Izuki said. Everyone turned to the pun-master and groaned.

"Did you seriously make a joke about Kuroko's name and how it is similar to the backstage help?" Hyuuga growled. Izuki only grinned.

"Whatever, if you want to know where Kuroko is, he's meeting Akashi at Beika Park for a picnic date." Taiga said. "Um… hope you accomplish your objective sempai. I'm going to play a two-on-two, street basketball match with Tatsuya, Kise, and Takao after lunch. Have fun."

"Ah, just don't overwork yourself. You're an important member of our team too." The Captain said before everyone left the tiger-like teen behind. Kagami closed the door and leaned against it in relief. Honestly, while the shadow was a good friend and basketball player, all this hassle was not what the Japanese-American expected when he entered Teiko Academy. Once the transparent man comes home from his dates, Kagami would have a serious discussion with him about worrying everyone and not telling his loved ones his schedule. Taiga glanced at the clock and saw that it was already noon. After grabbing the basketball under his bed for today's game, the wild-looking teenager ran toward the kitchen to get a quick meal. An unfamiliar, gray-haired teen styled with cornrows, loose tank top, and black shorts walked by the wild-looking teen, but he brushed it off.

Meanwhile, the second years were trying to find Kuroko.

"You know, I'm kind of nervous about this. Isn't Akashi the Captain of Rakuzan? He almost killed one of the Uncrowned Kinds for kissing Kuroko in the dining room, so what will he do if he catches us?" Tsuchida asked. Everyone froze. They had forgotten about that incident and Tsuchida did bring up an important point (and a flaw) in their plan. Would the red-head be understanding or merciless for their possible intrusion on their date? If he was willing to attack his own subordinate with a Swiss Army knife, was anything possible?

"If that happens, I will talk to him as a fellow Captain. I am sure that we can reach an understanding." Hyuuga bravely said in his crunch time voice. His attitude and stance oozed of confidence. Kiyoshi's mouth gaped in awe and the giant placed his large hand on the slimmer man's shoulder. Hyuuga was much more suited to be Captain than him, even if the glasses-wearing man was slightly shaking at the idea of confronting the intimidating, first year.

"If that's true, why can we hear your joints shaking Hyuuga-kun?" Riko asked knowingly.

"Nonsense, there's no such thing." The Captain of Seirin tried to dismiss.

It was not a long walk to the location. The elders of the basketball team were able to easily spot their colorful targets sitting on the incline of the hill. Before they could panic at the thought of the two men finding out about their mission, Mitobe and Izuki found an area at the bottom of an adjacent hill that had the cover of trees to obscure them. They watched Ruby and Aquamarine sit contently next to each other on a plaid, flannel blanket, legs stretched out to bask in the intense, noon sun, and hands laced together and perched on top of the wooden, wicker basket that contained the lunches that Akashi packed for this occasion. Both were looking down at the pond, watching the ducks swim in the tranquil waters and enjoying the other's company. Once in a while, one of them would turn their heads and give a glance at the other before turning back to the peaceful scenery.

"What are they doing?" Koganei asked with wide eyes.

"They're just sitting there. They aren't even talking to each other." Riko said with a little bit of worry. Were they not having a good time? It was hard to tell from their distance. They stayed silent once they saw Kuroko turn his attention to his date for longer than a few seconds.

"Akashi-kun," Kuroko said to get the Rakuzan student's attention. Knowing what the shadow wished from him, Seiijuro smiled and turned so that his forehead was pressed against Tetsuya's, their bangs grazing the other. Heterochromatic stared at sky-blue; both subdued individuals couldn't stop the grin that forced itself to the surface. Because their love was the longest and most enduring for both males, they tilted their heads almost in complete synchronization and softly kissed to be as physically close as they were emotionally. Akashi lightly squeezed the phantom's hand to ask permission to become even closer to the slightly leaner teen, and it was given without any hesitation by Kuroko. Tongues slithered in and coxed the other into a dance. While others would be filled with passion, thrills, and entangle themselves in the heat of it all, they only wanted to enjoy the other's beautiful glory. Akashi was practically melting, almost left breathless as he dived into Kuroko's kindness, honesty, and sincerity, and Tetsuya admiring and trying to bury himself in Seiijuro's intensity, loyalty, integrity, and gentleness. One kiss was not enough, but the shadow needed to pull away for fresh air. The red-head gave a devious smirk, making Kuroko blush. "I can't help it Akashi-kun. I don't have your stamina."

"If we were still on the same team, I would make sure to have improved your physical stats." The Captain of three Uncrowned Kings declared. The invisible man pointed out that his coaches Alex and Riko had drastically improved his body's conditioning, which made the red-head frown. Why did Tetsuya get offended? "I am not questioning your team's competence. I was merely stating that my leadership was still superior in comparison." The Seirin first year wanted to continue but his mouth quickly because occupied by Akashi's in order to end the argument there. They rarely got to spend time together; miniscule disagreements were such a waste. Shortly after that, they decided to eat. They were simple bento boxes with savory sausage, sour, picked plums, crispy radishes, and steamed rice. Tetsuya gave a knowing smile at the Captain of Rakuzan. He knew the red-head preferred European-style lunches but specifically got these to suit the phantom's pickier taste buds.

The second years were growing disinterested in the pair, progressively starting to not care about being noticed.

"Huh, I was expecting constant death glares and knives of doom." Koganei said slightly disappointed by the casual and uneventful date. Riko let out an exasperated sigh and regretted not bringing something larger than her wallet to hit the medical aid with. The point of this trip was to not worry about the shadow's safety, not act like the boy's permanent, diligent body guards.

"At least they haven't seen us." Kiyoshi noted. "Besides, I think today was a great day. We got to enjoy the nice weather before it got too uncomfortably hot, get a change of scenery, and we're together. Isn't that right Hyuuga?" The Center asked the resting, glasses-wearing man. The only response he got from Junpei was a slightly annoyed grunt. Riko chuckled lightly at her boyfriend's relaxed state, and gave the Captain a comforting pat on the head. The Uncrowned King of Seirin was right. They rarely got a break such as this due to a strict schedule they followed in order to balance academics, basketball activities, and counsel meetings.

"Hey, I think they're going to play some Frisbee now." Tsuchida said pointing at the freshmen couple that were packing their picnic blanket into the basket.

Akashi and Kuroko had fun trying to out-do the other; it felt natural because they were so competitive. The ruby and gold-eyed teen would purposely throw the disk higher than usual in order to push his slightly shorter lover physically and also force the shadow to jump, causing the polo shirt to rise and expose the milky skin underneath. Tetsuya is return would glide the Frisbee low, making Seiijuro dip low and cause his shorts to drop a few centimeters and allowed the phantom to catch a view of the waistband of the Rakuzan Captain's undergarments. A harmless game in the park was a flirtatious foreplay for the knowing, teenage boys. Layers of sweat glossed over their sprinting and bending bodies, and as soon as Kuroko caught the red-head's last throw, the shadow fell back down to the ground with a small grin on his face. Akashi's own stern face that he reserved for the rest of the world was broken into a wide smile and he ran to the shadow, rushing down so that he landed on top of Tetsuya. With the momentum of the Rakuzan student's topple, the two rolled down the hill in each other's arms and beamed matching, infectious expressions. Both of them thankfully stopped before reaching the edges of the shallow, clear pond, kissing lovingly in between bouts of laughter.

"Wouldn't it be fun to be like this always?" Akashi asked his beloved.

"Always Spring, where blossoms are in bloom and love practically fills ones lungs? Yes," Kuroko answered and kissed the other again.

Most of Seirin could not help but feel a mix of happiness and shock at the young men enjoying themselves.

"I don't know why, but this is scaring me…" Koganei said. "I have never seen Kuroko this happy before. Have you?"

"Well, I do believe that he said once that his first love was Akashi. So I guess it would make sense that they would be extremely happy together." Riko recalled.

"I wonder if the others ever get jealous about their relationship. They are a scary, cute couple." Shun said. Everyone groaned and tried to grab for the damned, black, joke book, which the jokester held lovingly and securely against his chest. They were piling messily on top of one another, yelling at the point guard to hand over his precious notepad, but neither side would give to the other's demands.

"Hurray, dog pile!" Kiyoshi cheered as he thrust himself into the mess.

"Idiot, this is not play time!" Hyuuga yelled. Yet despite saying that, practically everyone was smiling and laughing.

Both the romantic couple and the tangled group were interrupted by the loud ringing of a cellphone cutting through the air. Akashi and Kuroko felt their hearts drop, knowing the dreaded sound well. The red-head took a deep breath, silently wishing a poisonous miasma to suffocate the person that was calling him before sitting upright and taking the call. It was the Director of the Human Resources department, demanding the teen come in to help him for the red-head's father was too busy. It sounded urgent and while Akashi desperately did not want to leave the transparent teen, this was his duty as the heir to his father's fortune. Seiijuro turned to his beloved, looking into those eyes that were tinted with a tinge of sadness.

"I'm sorry,"

"It is okay Akashi-kun. We can hang out again after the Interhigh Preliminaries." They kissed good bye, trying to linger in this joy for a bit longer.

The red-head slowly walked away, making sure to pass by the Seirin second years that he knew were there the whole time. They held their breaths, unable to defend themselves.

"Please keep in mind that I will not tolerate such a thing in the future. Tetsuya and I rarely have time together, and we would like to keep it a private, intimate moment between only the two of us. I know that you are probably here concerned about his well-being due to his view of dating being different from what you are used to, but I can assure you that he is an intelligent, young man that knows how to take care of himself and his grandmother. So please, make yourself scarce and leave Tetsuya alone. He has another date with a man I greatly respect, Nijimura Shuzo, the only man that I ever called Captain…" The red-head said. "He has a black belt in Karate, and a rather hot-blooded streak still in him. It would be wise to not disturb him. Despite it being in the past, he does have a history of picking fights with those who oppose him." After saying his opinion, the commanding Generation of Miracle stormed off.

"Huh, I would have never pegged Nijimura to be like that. He was actually pretty nice to me when his team defeated my team. He knew that after that loss I wanted to quit basketball, but assured me that I was a great player despite losing to him." Kiyoshi remembered. Still, if there was anyone that Akashi Seiijuro felt he needed to warn others about, the Seirin team knew they needed to leave. Carefully, the snuck away so as to not attract the attention of the still oblivious phantom (it worked shockingly).

"If this guy is really as scary as Akashi made him out to be, shouldn't we look out for Kuroko?" Izuki asked the Captain.

"We still need to prepare our bags for our Interhigh Preliminaries tonight. We'll deal with Kuroko later." Junpei told his friend.

Since his date with Nijimura was still several hours away from the current time, Kuroko found a comfortable tree, leaned his back against the mighty plant, closed his eyes, and relaxed. His thick hoodie protected his sensitive skin from the splintered bark and with the hood unfolded and encased his head, there was nothing but comfort for the phantom. The gentle breeze lulled the shadow to sleep before he saw a tall, Center player from Kirisaki Daiichi draw closer. Seto was coming back to his house after helping Furuhashi Koujirou with his homework, cutting through the park in order to get home sooner to take a nap. Due to his hair being slicked back and his forehead was exposed, the basketball player was more alert and aware of his surroundings. Within his peripheral vision was a ghostly looking person against the large tree that Seto remembered taking comfort under when he also desired a nap outside. The stranger's light-blue hair, pale skin, and an expression of comfort by a small smile made Kentaro wonder if he looked that peaceful when he was asleep before shrugging it off. The stranger's content slumber under the shade, slow and even breathing, and the wind picking up on his wispy, fine hairs, was a vision of bliss to the Center. The Kirisaki Daiichi member sat down next to the pale figure, examining the shorter teen closer.

Seto tried his best to analyze what was it about the stranger that made the larger man want to nap and cuddle against him, but there was nothing. Sure, the petite teen possessed an unusual hair color for a Japanese person, but coloring one's hair was not an abnormality. The stranger had little to almost no presence, weak body, and while the hair was colorful most of his skin was absent of any in his lean physique, making him appear almost dead. Still, Kentaro ruffled his own hair out of its perfected state, and allowed his messy strands to fall over his forehead. Feeling himself power down, before his energy was depleted completely, Seto pulled the angelic boy into his chest. The genius player let the other's thin legs drape over his own like a comforting blanket, wrapped his muscular arms around the slim torso, and rested his head against the next of aquamarine hair. As quickly as Kuroko's own descend into sleep, as soon as Seto's eyes fluttered shut the lazy, calm player from Kirisaki Daiichi fell asleep holding his warm, human teddy-bear. The unlikely duo's hearts beat in time together; sending both of them into a deep abyss where one did not know where one began and the other ended.

When Kuroko did wake up, he absent-mindedly reached for his cellphone to check the time only to realize that his limbs and even his head were trapped in an embrace. At first the sleepy shadow thought that Akashi had returned from his duties, but the body that was holding him was slightly darker in tone, much taller, longer, and there was a lazy, unfamiliar snore instead of quiet puffs of breath. Tetsuya turned his head, accidentally sliding the stranger's heavy head into his own and crashing their lips against each other. Kuroko was a little embarrassed and shocked by the kiss, especially when the larger man's eyes opened and instead of pulling away in horror, Seto sighed softly and pulled the other closer by tugging at the petite waist. When the Center basketball player started to stroke the younger teen's right cheek, trying to coax Kuroko to allow the kissing to go to the next level, the shadow pushed back. His eyes were even larger from amazement. Seto yawned and rubbed his head with a small smile. While he was never one to like being woken up early, a kiss from a cute person did ease that annoyance quite a bit. When Kentaro was fully awake, he was greeted by complete confusion.

"Hello, who are you?" The sky-blue teen asked, trying not to panic.

"Seto Kentaro, I'm a second year at Kirisaki Daiichi. Who are you?" Seto asked in return.

"Kuroko Tetsuya, and I go to Teiko Academy. Why are you holding me, Seto-san?" The shadow questioned. When Seto shrugged his shoulders saying that he wanted to, Kuroko almost slapped the stranger out of frustration. Deciding against such actions (due to Seto's larger and more powerful body), the transparent teen directed the conversation to other things. It surprised both boys that they had a lot in common. Basketball players, relatively smart individuals, and calm personalities made the sudden meeting a pleasant surprise. In the middle of their soft chuckling over a grammar joke, a stomping of angry footsteps came toward them.

"Oh, hi Hanamiya," Seto greeted his friend. Kuroko turned his attention upwards to see that Hanamiya Makoto was there. The phantom gave a polite wave to acknowledge the Kirisaki Daiichi Captain and Coach. "How are you?"

"What are you doing?" Hanamiya asked his teammate. His eyebrows were twitching erratically, reminding the two sitting against the tree of the image of dying caterpillars.

"I'm talking to Kuroko. Oh, have you guys met?" Kentaro asked, directing his attention to the teen that was still sitting on his lap. Tetsuya nodded and before he could explain how, Makoto interrupted.

"Why is Kuroko in your lap? Weren't you supposed to be helping Furuhashi with his homework? Honestly, holding someone that you're having an affair with in public…" Hanamiya said in disgust.

"Furuhashi doesn't need much help so we finished early. I saw Kuroko in the park sleeping so I decided to sleep next to him. Then I woke up to him kissing me," Seto paused to force the light blush that was surfacing to go away (not noticing the look of horror on Hanamiya's face). "And we started talking. We aren't dating or having an affair; I just met the guy." The only thing to disturb the silence between the three teenagers was the rustling of the trees.

"… That has to be the dumbest lie I have ever heard. Why would you scoop up Kuroko, hug him, and sleep under a tree with him when you don't even know him? What kind of person just randomly kisses someone that slept next to them?" Hanamiya asked exasperatedly.

"I just wanted to." Seto said honestly.

"I did not mean to kiss Seto-san either. He fell forward and onto me when I was trying to figure out what was going on."

"Really?" Seto asked. "How disappointing, I thought you were pretty cute. Want to go somewhere? I'm up for a random date." Seto casually brought up. Hanamiya was about to bitterly and angrily reply that Kuroko was already taken by Imayoshi when the invisible man answered.

"I cannot go on a date today Seto-san, for I have a date with Nijimura-san." The transparent teen said. "If you would like to hang out on Tuesday for some hot chocolate at Paradise Sweets, which would be a nice time to get to know each other, then that would be fine. But it is supposed to be cold that day though so if you want to be outside we might have to reschedule. Would you like that?" Kentaro nodded.

"Wait a minute! I thought you were dating Imayoshi." The Kirisaki Daiichi Captain butted in.

"I am. I am also dating ten other people besides Imayoshi-san." Kuroko explained. "I am polyamorous, and I am also pan-romantic, pansexual, and cisgender."

"That's pretty cool; I like a person that isn't going to tie you down." Seto said before yawning.

"Then… I need to hang out with you sometime this week too. I want to make sure you're not some annoying brat that's going to corrupt my regulars." Makoto requested from the Teiko Academy student. The first year gave a small smile at the Coach and nodded.

"Hanamiya-san is really much kinder than I thought. You care a lot about your teammates." Tetsuya said in amazement. "We could see each other on Thursday if you would like. I can meet you anywhere you decide to go after practice."

"I'll meet you at the bus stop in front of your school. Just don't keep me waiting." Kuroko agreed to those terms and checked the time on his cellphone. His date with Nijimura was in thirty minutes, but thankfully their meeting place was within walking distance.

"Excuse me; my date with Nijimura-san is soon. I will see you later this week Seto-san, Hanamiya-san." Kuroko gave a small bow before propelling himself off of the Center player's lap. When the teal-haired teen left the two members of the Kirisaki Daiichi basketball team alone, Kentaro gave Makoto a knowing stare.

"Shut up Seto," The shorter teen ordered, a faint blush staining his cheeks.

"I didn't say anything Hanamiya." At least he knew why his Captain was so upset on Monday.

Kuroko was a bit early for his rendezvous with Nijimura, so he was surprised to see the other on the court already playing basketball with the neighborhood children. His towering form appeared to be golden under the setting sun, and the children flocked to him with vigor. They gave the elder man their undivided attention, their eyes glistening with enchantment, obedience, and a desire to please. In a way, the former, Teiko Captain never changed. He was still very handsome, strong-looking, and charismatic as ever as he played basketball with the kids. The shadow snuck through the gate, barely making it creak as he sauntered over to surprise the elder teen. He gave a polite "hello" just as Shuzo was about to shoot the orange sphere through the hoop. The university student jumped, missing his two-pointer shot and sent a playful glare at his companion.

"Whoa! Did he teleport here?" A small, dark-skinned boy asked looking at Kuroko in wonder.

"He's a ghost!" A blonde boy gasped. A little girl with red hair hid behind the dark-skinned child, gazing at the phantom with wide eyes filled with tears.

"Nah, he just does that." Nijimura brushed off quickly as he went to retrieve the basketball.

"Who is he Niji-nii-chan?" The same, curious boy asked again.

"Oh, this is my friend Kuroko-kun. He plays basketball at Teiko Academy." All of the children gazed at the phantom in awe. Teiko's Academy for the high school elite was never a disappointment when it came to producing stars of the sport. Their reputation was even spreading outside of national pride and into the international world of basketball, producing players that make it to the United States and play professionally. While Kuroko was not as tall or opposing as their friend Nijimura, the children already knew that looks can be deceiving. "Do you want to play for a bit? We're not supposed to eat for another fifteen minutes." Nijimura asked. "It would be nice to expose the children to a different kind of small forward besides my style. Yours is very unique and amazing to watch." The invisible man flushed a barely-there pink over his entire body.

"But with Nijimura-san as their teacher, I can honestly say that they are in good hands when it comes to learning about basketball." Kuroko praised. The dark-haired, college student sighed and calmly walked to his former teammate. Nijimura gave a friendly head pat, gently ruffling the fine hairs with his damp hand.

"You know what your problem is Kuroko-kun, and still is? You can never take a compliment. Just accept that you're a great player. You've come a long way." The shadow looked up at his former sempai, too dazed by the words to articulate a proper response and opted for silence.

The two men and four children divided into teams of three against each other. Both men whispered to each other; they agreed that they would only steal the ball from each other, and only get the ball when the children passed it to them. At first, the former, Teiko Captain was charging in strong like he usually did during his days as a power forward, only to have the ball slapped out of his control in mid-dribble. He was sure that he knew where the phantom was, but Kuroko's misdirection was hard to predict and allowed the shadowy male to pass it to his teammate, a blonde boy that raced down the court. His ball-handling skills were not the best, but he was able to keep the ball away long enough from the other children to shoot. It danced around the ring and a stroke of luck caused the ball to tilt and swish through the hoop, a lovely sound to every dedicated player.

The child fist pumped, but their team was immediately on defense. The tan boy that questioned about Kuroko earlier had the ball. As soon as he reached the middle of the court, he appeared to try to pass to Nijimura only to move like a sly cat and give the orange sphere into the hands of a girl with pigtails. Worried that Kuroko would charge in and steal the ball from her just as he done with Nijimura (she did not know about their terms), she quickly released the ball. It spun beautifully through the air, hypnotizing everyone to be so focused on the ball that no one could hear the former, Teiko Captain's cellphone alarm. Barely touching the rim, the basketball gracefully went in, causing the other children to clap at the young girl's quick shot. Nijimura turned off his phone quickly because rushing back to congratulate and encourage the youth. The way Shuzo bent down so that they were both on the same level, face-to-face, and making sure to use the same tone that one would only reserve for adults made the shadow smile. It was what the aquamarine teen loved about Nijimura; he never made anyone feel insignificant by not being serious or childish towards them. The university student was almost always ever-calm and devoted to the task in front of him, whether it is his winning team, home life, or these children that would gaze at him adoringly.

"Sorry guys, Kuroko-kun and I have to eat. I'll see you next week, okay?" They groaned but knew said nothing for they would see their friend soon enough. "Come on Kuroko, let's go." The dark-haired, elder teen said when he acquired all his belongings, a lightweight jacket and a drawstring backpack. The two gave a last good bye to the kids, walking an even pace out of the vicinity. The taller man would throw swift glances at the court; the shadow thought it was for concern or desire to be the group of eight-year-olds (he was tempted to go back himself) until he felt a callused, cold, and sweaty hand grab his own. The transparent teen was startled by the reserved man's actions, but said nothing. A light-colored blush was sitting on top of their cheekbones despite their blank and hard expressions, and their hearts were scraping against their rib cage with every beat. In a flash, soft, dark gray and pleased, sky-blue looked at each other with adoration. "I hope you do not find it offensive that I told the children you were my friend. I did not think our romantic relationship was an appropriate topic of discussion for kids that haven't even reached puberty."

"No, I agree with you Nijimura-san. I would rather have a quiet moment together when I am with you." The phantom said, not noticing the hardened face of his former Captain growing red. Former sempai and kouhai strolled down the cement sidewalk, not feeling particularly hungry now that they finally had some time together after a long hiatus due to Nijimura's responsibilities. They would pause for a moment to see if they wanted to go inside an establishment, only to find that neither of them were in the mood so instead, Kuroko pulled the dark-haired, college man down an empty alley. "I'm going to show you something." The shadow said as he was meandering through the tight corridors, further slipping them into the seclusion of darkness. The larger teen trailed behind, finding it hard to keep up with the blank-faced, young man when the path got too narrow for the two of them to hold hands. Here was the Seirin Dormitory student going? If there was no contrast between the High School student's pale ivory against the burnt bricks and dim sky, the elder would have a hard time even finding him. Before Nijimura could express his annoyance and confusion towards his date's sudden decision and movements, both of them were thrust out of the dreary alleyways between smoldering buildings and graced with the sight of the lush grass of the riverbank, clear water that was filled with colorful, exotic fish, and the perfect view of the sun setting against the city line. It appeared to create an illusion of the world caught on fire while they stayed safe from the destruction together.

They sat down close to the water, the tips of their sneakers threatening to dip into the cold liquid. The younger male slid closer to Shuzo, happy when the elder took the initiative and wrapped his strong arm around the phantom's torso, settling his large hand on top of Tetsuya's hip bone.

"You better be careful Kuroko-kun. Haizaki has been asking about your team's progress since you guys started school." The Captain warned.

"Why would he be asking for me?" Nijimura rolled his eyes.

"Are you actually surprised at the idea that Haizaki is interested in you sexually?" Kuroko closed his eyes to try to relax in anticipation for future frustration.

"I am afraid Haizaki-kun must wait. I am sure you saw something different in Akashi-kun and the others." Kuroko said with a heavy sigh. "We used to only think about having fun playing basketball. I know that victory is part of the fun, but sometimes I think it is empty now for most of them."

"Most?"

"I was able to defeat Kise-kun's team, and he is starting to enjoy basketball again like the old days. I'm hoping to meet Midorima-kun's team during Interhigh, and play the best to my abilities there as well." The transparent teen vowed. "I hope that when Seirin wins and they see how much our victory means to us, that they'll realize again what true victory is. Like how you taught us before," Kuroko said before swooping in to kiss the respected man. Taking advantage of his former sempai's shock, Tetsuya slid his tongue into Shuzo's mouth, boldly trying to arouse the other man to reciprocate. The former Captain moaned, feeling his blood surging with fire and his arms instinctively pulled the shadowy boy closer. Groping like an animal for hair, flesh, and anything they could of the other. All the time apart led to desperation. Nijimura snuck a devious hand under the young man's shirt, teasingly trailing his fingers against the smooth abdominal muscles. Kuroko snaked his arms around the larger man's neck, threading one hand in Shuzo's hair and the other hand grasped and clawed feverishly at the dark-haired teen's back. The invisible man passionately kissed the elder man until they could hardly tell where the barrier between their lips was. The power forward could feel his own hand playing with the younger man's trouser band, doing his best to resist and restrained himself by tugging Tetsuya's shirt so that they were pulled apart. "I hope you liked what I showed you." Nijimura could not believe the teal-haired teen's smug statement.

"And I thought you were innocent." Wanting to fulfill his more aggressive desires, Shuzo forced Tetsuya into his lap and almost ripped the shadow's shirt off. The light-blue boy did not have time to yelp in surprise when he saw his shirt tossed into the air, but could not for he became too clouded and delirious from the feeling of warm, rough hands brushing against his exposed skin. Nijimura nipped at Kuroko's jaw, sending a trail of hot, steamy kisses down the shadow's neck, grinning when he felt the trembling of pleasure. The younger man stretched his body, unsure what he was doing other than enjoying being consumed by the elder man. The dark-haired boy suckled upon the flesh, savoring the feeling of being with his smaller lover after waiting for so long to be with him. When Nijimura reached the invisible teen's left nipple, he pounced. Playfully swirling his tongue around the soft pink bud, the gray-eyed man watched like a predatory eagle at the writhing and contorting shadow. It was intoxicating to send the transparent teen into this whimpering, shaking state. Compelling his narrow hips to gyrate against Nijimura's hips, the actions were sending bliss to rush through both of them.

"Shuzo…" Kuroko groaned. Hearing his name in that husky tone, the former Captain drifted to the next nipple to make sure they got equal treatment. Time exposed the rough treatment littered Tetsuya's pale skin with red-ringed hickies, but the musky air and darkness of night blanketed them, concealing their intimate moment. Unable to just sit on the elder man's lap and squirm, Kuroko leaned forward and nibbled Nijimura's ear, groaning softly into the skin from the other man's touch. They slammed their lips against each other, almost crushing their teeth from the excitement. They were so engrossed with one another that they did not see the flash of a cellphone taking pictures of them in the dark.

"Tetsuya," Nijimura whispered into the other's ear. He wanted to pick up the younger man, take him back to the room, and ravish Kuroko until they were completely exhausted and spent. Still, both of them knew the sky-blue teen's other obligations, one obviously to his first love and the other is to his team, to make sure that he was ready for their match tomorrow. "I should take you home."

"Do you have to?" Kuroko uncharacteristically asked. The younger immediately retracted his statement and apologized to the elder male.

"No, it is okay." Nijimura sighed and handed his former teammate his discarded shirt. Unknowingly though, when Nijimura dropped the shadow back to Teiko Academy, embarrassing mayhem ensued.

"Kuroko, again, what is with you and curfews? Do you give your grandmother as many heart attacks as you give us? Or does she just assume you're home? It is pretty obvious you're not here, so what do you have so say for yourself?" Hyuuga shouted at the freshman. The shadow turned to his light, only to see that Kagami was pissed at him as well. He knew that it was understandable, the team set down a set of rules and one of them was following a curfew, particularly when there were games tomorrow. As for Taiga's frustrations with having a polyamorous person as his roommate, he was unfortunately affected by Tetsuya's and his lovers' presence and problems as well. "I don't care if you were hanging out with a former Captain. You can't keep doing this." Junpei heavily sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Kuroko, I don't even know what to do anymore. Your boyfriends keep bothering me, the team keeps pestering me, and now this happens. Please, just show up on time." Kagami practically pleaded for his sanity rather than actual concern for the shadow. Riko cocked her head to the side. There was a red mark just under Kuroko's chin. It looked like teeth marks.

"Kuroko-kun, take off your shirt." The Assistant Coach demanded. The phantom hid his nervousness, not surprised to hear the gasps from everyone on his team when they witness the dozen hickies that Nijimura placed on the Seirin first year. "Oh my god… where did you get those Kuroko?" She gasped.

The phantom rubbed the red-ringed marks, trying both to soothe and find an appropriate response for them. Not able to think of anything besides telling the truth, the shadow just blurted it out.

"I got them from Nijimura-san."

"It almost looks infected." Kagami joked.

"Ah, that's it! Affection infects the hearts of many teens." Izuki thought up cleverly. Before the team could deliver a justified pop in the head, the point guard became serious. "Kuroko-kun, do you think you will be able to play tomorrow? If you are too tired, we can understand but perhaps we should put down a new rule so that it doesn't happen again. I know that it would be difficult for you to do since you have so many people that you love, but if we want to be dedicated to winning Interhigh and Winter Cup, we need to discuss these things." Almost everyone blushed at what the eagle-eyed man was suggesting.

"Izuki, perhaps you're right." Hyuuga started. "Why don't we meet in the club room?"

"What kind of rule do we need to discuss?" Kiyoshi innocently asked.

"He means that we should not have sex before a match Kiyoshi!" Koganei bluntly explained. Kuroko paled. No, nothing like that happened!

"No, I did not have sex with Nijimura-san." The ghostly teen defended his purity.

"Then what did you do tonight to earn you those marks Tetsuya?" Oh god Akashi! Seirin Dormitory parted for the Rakuzan first year, feeling a tiny bit sorry for the shadow of their team. "Did you know that Haizaki Shogo sent me some interesting pictures this afternoon? Ones of you and Shuzo making out by the riverbank, and you were shirtless…"

"Hello Akashi-kun," The sky-blue teen greeted, still shirtless and deeply embarrassed.

"You did not break your promise to me, did you Tetsuya?"

"No, I swear that I have not Akashi-kun. We did not participate in such actions." Akashi's eyes glowed hot, but instantly repressed back to their original state. While he was still a bit angry, he knew that Tetsuya was telling the truth.

"Very well, but I am still going to have a talk with Shuzo tomorrow after watching your match." Kuroko felt sorry for the former, Teiko Captain.

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Lol, sorry for the wait. I'll try to update Darkness and Shadows soon too. :)


	9. Chapter 9 Seirin vs Shinkyo

**Summary**: Seirin Dormitory vs. Shinkyo Academy! Along with the other dormitories and their shenanigans.

**Notes**:  
1. I changed the score between Seirin and Shinkyo in order to make Kise happy. :) Hahaha!  
2. My OC will actually say something... hope that doesn't bother too many people.  
3. I'm so sorry... but I like the idea of Kirisaki Daiichi/Kuroko and HaiKuro too much. O_O I'm so sorry!

I had a lot more planned for this chapter, but I could not fit them all in without this chapter being over 10,000 Words. I really wanted to fit a SetoKuro date and a HanaKuro "not-date" but with a date usually being at least 2,000 Words in length... yeah... not going to do that to you.

**Word Count**: 7,314 Words

* * *

Today was the day that Seirin and everyone that signed up to cheer for them, were going to the first scheduled Interhigh Preliminary match of the season that anyone at Teiko Academy had. They were going against Shinkyo Academy, a school that used to be quite average, but with the addition of a foreign exchange student from Senegal, Papa Mbaye Siki, they have been performing well. Kagami and Kuroko were extremely excited to play a game outside of Campus Grounds and against a supposedly strong opponent. Unfortunately for Kagami, he still has not mastered the art of being able to sleep through his excitement as evident in his swollen eyes and puffy bags underneath them. The shadow stared at his new light in bewilderment but did not mind the taller teen's behavior; it was nice to be friends with a basketball idiot. While Taiga appreciated a fellow fanatic of the sport, Tetsuya's harem however was another issue entirely…

"Kurokocchi!" Kise greeted before pouncing the sky-blue teen in order to give a giant hug. "I wish we could ride the same bus to Shinkyo Academy, but I'll cheer for you in the stands. I even asked my fans to cheer for you as well. Some of them are bringing pom-poms too! So do your best," The blonde grinned and embraced the shorter boy even tighter. Kasamatsu rolled his eyes and pulled the energetic, Kaijou ace so their boyfriend did not suffocate to death.

"Thank you Kasamatsu-san," Kuroko said, looking a little more pale than usual due to the tight embrace. "Are you also going to be in the audience?" The shadow asked, hoping that the elder man would say yes.

"Yes, actually all of the basketball regulars at school are going to attend according to the sign-up sheet. You are dating at least one person from every team in our school, so I guess that's not too surprising." Yukio said. Kagami groaned. He did not want to deal with rude, arrogant Aomine bad-mouthing him, telling him he was not a good enough light for his beloved, former shadow. "I know how you feel Kagami. We're riding the same bus as Touou's team. Imayoshi isn't the easiest person to get along with." At least someone knew the Seirin ace's pain.

"Are other schools going to watch us too?" Kagami questioned.

"Of course, you are the dark horse of Teiko Academy. The new dormitory that has not proven themselves yet, add to that the fact you guys will be playing the first match for Interhigh Preliminaries, means that multiple schools will express interest." Kasamatsu clarified for the Seirin ace.

"Tet-chan!" Takao called out in the distance. The dark-haired teen was waving at the shadow as he was about to board the bus reserved for Shuutoku and Yosen Dormitory students. Midorima gave a curt nod at the phantom, a silent wish of good luck to the Aquarius. Right behind the Shuutoku freshmen players were Yosen's double ace pair Himuro and Murisakibara. The princely-teen was opening a bag of gummy worms carefully for the purple-haired giant; for the child-like, basketball player would accidentally send his snacks flying by how enthusiastically he opened them due to his great desire to consume them. The two hardly paid any attention to the annoyed looks of their seniors and the trail of lovely girls that were following the first years like lost puppies. Kise laughed at the sight; he had to admit that it was nice becoming friends with Tatsuya, and having a kindred spirit who understood the drawbacks of being both good-lucking and popular.

"Tetsu," Aomine said as he approached his former shadow with a look of concern. The tan teen leaned down and whispered in the milky-blue boy's ear "Whatever you do, don't eat Satsuki's snacks that she made for you and your team. She tried to make you sugar cookies with frosting, but it looks like they were made by Dr. Frankenstein." Kuroko gulped nervously and nodded. Despite being ranked second in every class (Akashi always had to be the best in everything), Momoi's intelligence never carried well when it came to cooking and serving food. Within minutes after Daiki's warning, Satsuki was cheerfully strolling along towards them with Sakurai Ryou, Imayoshi Shoichi, Susa Yoshinori, and Wakamatsu Kousuke following closely behind the bubbly, young woman, each of them holding a small, cardboard box, tied with pink strings in order to keep them sealed. The Touou team gave the Seirin first years a look of complete pity. The peach-colored girl had prepared four dozen, large, monstrous (in size and taste) cookies, that were better suited for discus-throwing in track-and-field rather than consumption. Kagami turned to Kuroko; both of them were nervous about how to handle this without upsetting Momoi.

"Tetsu-kun, I made you some cookies in case you want a snack during the match." Kuroko kept a blank expression and slowly nodded. "I hope you like them. I worked on them last night all by myself."

"Thank you for your efforts Momoi-san." The shadow said with a pleasant smile. Though Tetsuya knew the treats were inedible, the invisible, sixth man, did appreciate her hard work and the love she poured into everything she did for him, and it made Kuroko happy to know he had her in his life. Sakurai blushed at the sight of the pale teen's small smile; it was so adorable and sincere, making the shooting guard of Touou wish that it was directed at him instead of his team's manager. His fidgeting hands due to the petite man's pleased expression caused Ryou to drop the box and made its oozing raw yet burnt contents, spill onto the ground. Thick, chunky icing that was pale blue in color, crumbled into ugly globs, cold, raw centers hissed under the heat of the sun, while the blackened edges lunged into the air and turned to dust.

Imayoshi watched the scene with his permanent smile, but inside he was laughing. It appeared the only person that Shoichi was interested in pursuing from Teiko Academy (the gender-fluid person liked the cute-looking types rather than the handsome or sexy types), became love struck by the supportive shadow of Seirin. The manipulative Captain of Touou observed as Sakurai bowed and furiously apologized for the fortunate accident, and the aquamarine teen was knelt next to him, doing his best to console the guilt-filled boy and help Sakurai dispose of the mess. Both thin, almost pretty-looking first years would make a cute couple, Imayoshi had to admit. Kuroko had stated before that he preferred a gentle lover (despite their usual appearances in public, all of Kuroko's boyfriends and girlfriend were extremely gentle when it came to him), and there was not anyone that the messy-haired man could think of that could beat Sakurai in that department. The Touou freshmen, shooting guard soon turned into a stuttering and sputtering wreck whilst apologizing after the Seirin, small forward put a reassuring hand on the other's shoulder. The shadow did not understand the other's concern; it was just one less box of poisoned, food stuffs the polyamorous teen had to dispose of.

"Sakurai-kun, please stop apologizing. You're going to annoy Kuroko-kun if you keep going at this rate." Imayoshi warned his kouhai. Despite his sempai's advice, Sakurai apologized once more and bowed his head, unable to look at the passing prodigy straight into his eyes after that. Quiet footsteps with a strong presence came towards the group, Ryou unconsciously moving out of the way for the incoming guest. Akashi walked calmly towards his boyfriend, a book bad was slung over his shoulders and there was a bored look in his heterochromatic eyes. The red-head gave a passing glance at the brunette, Touou freshman, a little peeved when he realized instantly that yet another boy showed interest in the shadow, before helping his kneeling, former teammate off the ground.

"Tetsuya, let us hurry onto the bus. Tardiness can lead to disqualification and we can never be sure what we will encounter during traffic." The Rakuzan student said, putting a possessive hand on the other's shoulder and saying those words a little too close to the phantom's ear than usual. Imayoshi's smile twitched, before returning to normal; it was always amusing to see the young Captain's usual, calm, stern, and commanding demeanor falter. "Everyone please return to your bus." Kise pouted; the blonde gave the phantom one last hug and a wish good luck before trotting to his bus. Momoi and Aomine waved their good bye, shortly joining the model in the giant vehicle. Imayoshi playfully ruffled Kuroko's hair, making sure to not put too much pressure so that the hairs were out of place. After a kiss on the forehead, the glasses-wearing, third year hooked his arm with Susa's, knowing that his best friend knew that Imayoshi was just being playful. Sakurai and Wakamatsu followed their Captain and Vice-Captain, greeting the transparent teen and their other peers with praises of luck and victory. Kasamatsu was the last to leave, wanting to give a more private good bye to his shadowy boyfriend. The Kaijou senior bent down that he could whisper into the sky-blue teen's ear. Even though the dark-haired, elder student spoke so that only he and Kuroko could hear, the words still had a hard time coming out.

"Tetsuya, show them what it means to be a Teiko Academy student." After those words, a tender kiss on the ear was exchanged and Kasamatsu ran back to his bus, face still very red by the display of affection he gave to the younger man.

"He is a good man. You choose well," Seiijuro commented. "I expected nothing less from the man I chose to love." The Captain of Rakuzan smiled and approached the vehicle behind Kagami and Kuroko. The color in Kagami's face drained.

"Hey, shouldn't you be riding on your own bus?" Kuroko gave his new light a jab in the stomach. "Gyah! Kuroko, you bastard… what was that for? It was a legitimate question! He can't ride our bus just because he is your boyfriend."

"Kagami-kun, please thing before speaking. If Yosen Dormitory and Shuutoku Dormitory are riding the same bus, and Kaijou and Touou are sharing a shuttle, then it is only logical that Rakuzan and Seirin dorms are left to share a bus as well." Tetsuya said. Kagami was confused. In the United States, whenever a team was going to play, they always had their own shuttle to the game. He thought that kind of treatment was universal. "This is only Interhigh Preliminaries; there are not enough people that wish to attend a match from our school that would lead to every Dormitory leaving on their own shuttle per game. To do that every time a dorm had a game would be wasteful." The shadow explained to his light. Kagami sighed and rubbed his lower rib. But rethinking and trying to find something positive about the situation, the wild-looking teen remembered that Akashi was much quieter than most, and did not infuriate the duo-colored, Seirin first year like Midorima (actually of all of Kuroko's lovers, the Rakuzan Captain was probably the least annoying as long as Taiga did not piss him off).

They filed in; most of Seirin's basketball team was already inside waiting for their rookie duo as they discussed the strategies they were going to have to implement due to Teppei's knee injury bothering him today. They sat in the back to make sure there was room to accommodate the other dormitory's students and their coaches, not a bit surprised to see the red-head of the Generation of Miracles at Kuroko's side. Alexandra Garcia was sitting in the very front behind the bus driver, talking animatedly with the man sitting in the seat across the aisle, Shirogane Eiji about her excitement for her student's first, official match of the school year. Seiijuro gave a small nod to the Rakuzan Coach, and followed Tetsuya and Taiga to the middle of the bus as to not disturb the adults' conversation. Kagami sat on the same bench as Fukuda, knowing that his aquamarine roommate would want to sit next his slightly taller boyfriend.

"Tetsuya, are those cookies prepared by Satsuki in those boxes?" The red-head asked. Kuroko nodded and was shocked to see Akashi grab them from his hands and dispose of them in the garbage can in the front of the bus. "Please tell her that cookies are hardly a fitting diet for an athlete. You already intake enough sugar from your vanilla milkshakes, and you do not need anymore." The shadow softly smiled, knowing that the Rakuzan Captain was using that as an excuse to get him out of eating them.

Soon the rest of the Rakuzan regulars arrived onto the bus, Nebuya, Reo, Hayama, and Mayuzumi in that order.

"Aw, it is the guinea pig boy!" Hayama cried out in delight. Before the hyperactive, Uncrowned King could tackle the teal-haired teen once more, Nebuya pulled him back.

"You do realize that you're signing a death-wish if you're embarking on something that even my muscles can't save you from, right?" The dark-skinned teammate told the small forward of the team. The orange-haired prodigy was confused until he met the eyes of his Captain staring back at him. Those intense eyes made the Raijuu shiver and relax in Nebuya's grip.

"Honestly Kou-chan, you wouldn't get into so much trouble if you did not act so brash." Reo scolded gently at the shorter teen. Mayuzumi only nodded in agreement with the Rakuzan, shooting guard. The gray-haired, third year gave a nod to the phantom of Teiko, before taking a seat behind their Coach. Wanting to make sure that there was no conflict before Seirin's game, the rest of Rakuzan joined their blank-faced teammate, congregating behind or near Shirogane in order to not disrupt their Captain's time with his beloved. Seirin shrugged it off, knowing the undying emperors of Japanese basketball were probably odd individuals. But a glance and a hidden smile from Mayuzumi made Kuroko give one in return before returning his attention back to his team. The ride went surprisingly well; Kagami and Kuroko spent the majority of the time going through their formations that they were going to do depending on which situation, and Akashi and Furihata were having a pleasant conversation on the importance of a team's reserved bench strength, and how everyone needed to explore their play styles in order to find their strengths and weaknesses. The unlikely friendship between the different boys made Kuroko smile and rest his head lovingly against the red-head. It made the ghostly teen happy to see Seiijuro interact positively with others besides himself, because it was so rare to see.

"Oh, Akashi-kun, I thought I would let you know that I am going on a date on Tuesday afternoon with a boy named Seto Kentarou." The red-head paused his current conversation and turned to Kuroko.

"If I remember correctly, that man is part of the Kirisaki Daiichi team, the same one that Hanamiya Makoto is Captain and Coach of." Akashi started. The transparent teen nodded. "Hm… interesting that you would choose the only person that does not participate in violent, foul play, and has an extremely high level of intelligence. I can accept it. I heard that he also made it to the first string of the basketball team, despite being new at it. You pick such fascinating people to associate with Tetsuya…" Seiijuro said before they both continued their original conversations. The interruption that Kuroko thought would make his former Captain angry was brushed aside so easily. Thank goodness…

"Everyone, we're here!" Coach Garcia almost sang when the bus parked in front of the stadium. "Let us play our best everyone! Otou-san is a tough opponent. So we can't let our guard down!" Alexandra beamed, ignoring the confused looks on the Rakuzan students' faces.

"Buses will return two hours from now, which means that everyone that is not a part of Seirin Dormitory must return back to school, enjoy a full lunch period, and attend your afternoon classes. If you miss the bus because the match goes into overtime and you wish to continue watching it to the end, you will be excused for the rest of the day, but please know that you will have to rely on public transportation to get back to school. I wish all of Seirin Dormitory the best of luck in their match today, and that may victory be in their favor."

"Aw, Coach Shirogane, you're not going to cheer for us in the crowd?" Seirin Dormitory's Coach pouted. "It is such a shame! I was excited that a handsome and mysterious man like you was going to root for us." Everyone was shocked by Alex's words, but their breaths hitched when they saw the usually hardened man blush and uncomfortably cough at the beautiful woman's words. "Aw, don't be so modest Eiji! I saw your old photos with the other coaches. You were quite handsome during your youth." Hayama burst out in a loud cackle, face turning red from not getting enough oxygen. Reo hid his small giggles behind his long fingers, while Eikichi and Chihiro were still speechless. So this was Seirin's Coach Alexandra Garcia… a former, American WNBA-professional player, who supposedly had an unusual personality and a lot of love for the sport as well as those who wanted to learn about it.

"Coach Garcia, those are highly inappropriate words to express in front of the students. Please refrain from saying such things in the future." But the damage was done and the Mexican-American woman only grinned in response. Hayama coughed violently, trying to catch his breath from laughing so hard. Reo still had a sparkling smile on his pretty face, but managed to suppress anymore disrespectful chuckles at the direction of his coach.

In an orderly fashion, everyone from all the dorms left the buses quietly and swiftly. Seirin walked in first, registered at the sign-in desk, and headed to their designated locker room so that they could put away their things. The other Teiko Academy students marched into their assigned seats in the stadium that the school ordered for them, and were surprised to see that they were forced to sit next to Kirisaki Daiichi High School…

"Mako-chan!" Imayoshi perked up and ran to the seat above the annoyed, Kirisaki Daiichi Captain and Coach. "Aw, you want to cheer for Kuroko too, how sweet…" Reo ran down the seats and sat next to the shortest member of the Uncrowned Kings.

"Mako-chan, I did not know that you had a crush on Kuroko." Mibuchi said. Hanamiya growled and waved for both men to get out of his face.

"Stop calling me Mako-chan!" Hara grinned at his leader's flustered face, making note to remember that nickname when he wanted to piss the man off. "And I do not have a crush on anyone." His team snorted; was he still going to deny this? "What are you guys doing here anyways? Go to your seats and leave me alone."

"But Mako-chan, these are our seats." Shoichi explained. The genius was about to dismiss it until he saw Reo nod in agreement. He groaned and hid his face in his hands. Touou took the closest seats above Kirisaki Daiichi with Rakuzan nearby in order to allow the other Uncrowned Kings to enjoy the company of their fellow equal. Yosen, Kaijou, and Shuutoku stayed close by, not particularly picky about where they sat.

"Aw, this is like old times when we would meet every month to discuss how everyone's doing…" Mibuchi recalled fondly.

"Yeah, and Hanamiya's still the shorty of the group!" Hayama teased.

"I'm only shorter than you by one centimeter you bastard!" The bad boy growled.

Hanamiya only cheered up when he saw Kiyoshi sitting on the bench instead of warming up with his team. Scanning the crowd with his observant eyes, the dark-haired genius eventually found the object-of-his-affection dribbling a basketball, loosening his wrists for the match. Makoto unknowingly softened his expression, enjoying watching the phantom from afar. Seto used the extra time before the game to slick more wax and gel into his hair, to make sure that nothing obscured his handsome face (he wanted to look his best when he congratulated Kuroko in his victory). The borderline genius paid no mind to the visible shudder emitted by his teammate Hara Kazuya. The Center player of Kirisaki Daiichi believed that he looked best without hair in his face, and people always needed to do what they felt most confident doing. Akashi secretly watched Kentarou, a little disgusted by the amount of product in his hair, but did not voice it. As long as Kuroko expressed great interest in him, and if the Kirisaki Daiichi student passed his test (along with gaining his approval), then Seiijuro would accept him no matter what he looked like.

"Hey Kentarou, where is Kuroko anyways?" Yamazaki asked, not used to having to search for someone with such low presence. Before Seto could show his friend where his date was, a clank against the door frame and a low thud alerted the crowd of the arrival of Papa Mbaye Siki. The African male bowed respectfully to his coach, apologizing for his late entrance. The Captain laughed and quipped that was the only Japanese phrase that the foreigner spoke without hesitation.

Furuhashi narrowed his dead eyes at the Senegal native, and quickly relaxed back into his chair in boredom. Even without a high IQ, Koujirou could tell that Seirin was probably overestimating their current opponent. A quick glance at his teammates strengthened the small forward's suspicions, but they were solidly confirmed once Furuhashi saw the Teiko Academy's expressions prove his theory. Furuhashi heaved an annoyed sigh and wondered why the others were not bothered by Seto's strange fascination over a stranger he saw in the park, or Hanamiya's stalker-like behavior towards the Seirin first year (which seemed ridiculous for both men that had such high-levels of intelligence). Koujirou stared down the boy that both of his teammates were infatuated with, and admitted that the boy was pretty cute. And no, he swore that he was not falling for the same teen that captivated his two teammates! Hara muttered something about the unnoticeable teen looking sexy in his basketball uniform and Yamazaki nodding in agreement, making Furuhashi sigh and give up any denial of finding the invisible, sixth man of the Generation of Miracles attractive.

"Ah, excuse me!" Hyuuga called out when once of the basketballs skidded to the other side of the court. The Captain of Shinkyo Academy tossed the basketball to the Seirin Captain, taking this opportunity to confirm something.

"So, did your dorm beat Kaijou?" Tanimura asked. Junpei nodded but clarified to the other that it was a practice match. "Ah, I guess the Generation of Miracles are not as tough as I thought. Did you hear that Papa? One of the Generation of Miracles lost to these guys." The foreign-exchange student shrugged his shoulders and seemed bothered that the opponents that were such formidable legends were just disappointing.

"The Generation of Miracles lost to them? Are they really that weak?" Papa questioned loudly. Kise gripped his chair's armrests so hard that his knuckles were turning white. The blonde was anything but weak. Papa walked carelessly as he said his thoughts out loud to himself, confused when he bumped into something. When the dark teen looked down and saw Kuroko staring at him with confusion in his eyes. "A child?" Siki wondered and gently picked up the sky-blue teen by his underarms. He scolded what he thought was a young child wandering through the court until he saw the varsity outfit under the billowy T-shirt. Most of the shadow's admirers were angry by the stranger's hands on Kuroko, but restrained themselves. "You are wearing a player's jersey?" Papa gasped and gently put the shorter teen down. "The Generation of Miracles lost to a child? Are they children as well? I cannot believe they are so weak. Is Japanese basketball so disappointing? I cannot believe that they asked me to transfer to this school in order to beat such weaklings." Before Kuroko could retort back that he was not a child and that underestimating his team (and the Generation of Miracles) would be a costly mistake, Kise jumped out of his chair and yelled in anger.

"Kurokocchi, you better win this match! As a student of the prestigious, Teiko Academy, someone who beat me, and as my boyfriend, you must defend my honor at all costs!" Kise demanded of the shadow. Kasamatsu grinned. The blonde, Kaijou student was really riled up by the foreigner's harsh words. Still, as amusing as it was, the spikey-haired Captain pulled his small forward back into his seat before he gave Tetsuya a knowing look of confidence.

"Geez, he is almost as fired up as I am." Kagami commented. The phantom of Seirin only beamed an adoring smile at the Ryouta and Yukio. Kise's transformation was more prominent now.

The match started. Papa got the ball quickly due to his tall figure and quickly scored a two-pointer. Unfortunately when Kiyoshi was benched, this meant that Seirin was slow to start. Izuki had the ball, dribbling and considering his options until he passed the ball to the glasses-wearing Captain. Hyuuga drove the ball, quickly passing it to Kuroko. The shadow slammed the orange sphere to pass in between Papa's legs and into Kagami's waiting form in the air. The dunking expert did what he did best, slamming the ball through the hoop. All of the students of Teiko Academy cheered for their newest dorm. Even Akashi was pleased by Tetsuya's bold move to pass right through the tall, Center player, and Hanamiya cracked a small, pleased smile. By the end of the first quarter, Seirin was in the lead 24-8, completely dominating the game though they were still unable to counter the Senegal native's few shots that were able to over Kagami pressuring him.

"This is a little disappointing." Aomine yawned. "I knew Tetsu's team was likely going to win, but they're slaughtering these guys. Oh well, at least we were able to get out of morning classes today."

"We still have to do the homework though Aomine-san!" Sakurai reminded the boy with panic in his voice. The tan teen huffed.

"The only reason they are playing as well as they are is due to Kuroko's skills. If they did not have Kuroko on their team, and if Kiyoshi-san had to sit out, then they would be in serious trouble. Shinkyo Academy has a chance to catch up when they eventually have to bench Kuroko." Midorima pointed out. Momoi nodded but still had confidence in her boyfriend's skills. Oh no! The bet! Tears started to pool in the corners of her eyes.

"Oh no! Now I'll never be able to see Tetsu-kun naked if he keeps winning!" She gasped. Hanamiya choked on his own saliva. Did she just say what he thought he heard her say? The rest of Kirisaki Daiichi were curious as well as to what she meant.

"Momoi-san, why is it that you are always the one to remember Seirin's Declaration? I honestly keep forgetting about it until you bring it up." Imayoshi laughed and playfully teased the young woman. Makoto cocked an eyebrow at his former sempai, silently asking what the correlation between basketball and Kuroko's ability to get naked was. "Oh yeah, I suppose you don't know Mako-chan. In the beginning of the school year, Seirin promised in the morning announcements that if they ever lost that they would confess their feelings to the person they love, naked as the day they were born. That means that if Kuroko's team loses, he'll appear to every person he is dating and those he is extremely interested in dating, completely naked and saying nothing but how much he adores that person." All of the Kirisaki Daiichi team blushed and looked down at Kuroko incredulously. Such an angelic-looking being would make such a promise? All of the bad boys vowed that they would get close to the pale shadow so that they could be part of the exclusive group that would enjoy this benefit.

"Huh, well thanks for letting me know." The Generation of Miracles turned to the familiar but unwelcomed voice of Haizaki Shogo. Momoi bit her lip nervously at the appearance of the former classmate, but glanced at Kise to see how the blonde felt. Kise immediately frowned at the presence of the delinquent, but kept his mouth shut. He did not want to reopen his old wounds today.

"Ah, you're here too? If you plan on stealing Tetsu's food like last time, go ahead. Satsuki's the one that prepared it this time." Momoi punched Aomine in the shoulder, who yelped in shock rather than pain. Damn she was quick…

"Nah, I'm not here to do anything like that. I just wanted to watch the 'forgotten miracle' play. Despite what you all probably think of me, it is actually nice to hang around someone that respects me and doesn't think of me as a total asshole." Haizaki said before taking a seat at the end near Kirisaki Daiichi. The blonde shrugged and turned his attention back to the game. He did not care as long as Shogo did not come to the other side to bother him. Just before the second quarter began, Nijimura entered the stadium and took a seat next to Haizaki. The university student glared down at his former teammate's new appearance, but said nothing.

The second quarter continued the dominance of Seirin. Hyuuga's three-pointers were becoming more accurate despite the Center player's strong presence, Izuki's plays were getting tighter, and even Mitobe seemed to be moving more fluidly as the match went on. The only thing satisfying to watch about the match was the rest of the crowd's shock. After Seirin Dormitory's performance last year being the only section in Teiko Academy to be unable to participate in Winter Cup, everyone was quick to dismiss the new dorm. But with its improved offense, quick passes, and fast plays, Seirin was a strong team to not underestimate. The gap increased to 35-8, and it was then Riko called for a member change to preserve the phantom for the second half of the match. Takao could not help but grin at the smart tactician that was Seirin's Assistant Coach. This large lead plus the added luck of Papa having been unable to score recently would be a good psychological blow, pushing even more pressure on Shinkyo Academy. The Shuutoku point guard glanced to his right at his roommate, who seemed to notice this as well. Seirin was going to be an interesting opponent when the time came for them to face each other.

"Atsushi, is it just me or is Taiga jumping higher?" Himuro commented, pointing at his little brother in the court. Murisakibara stopped his munching to observe the match more carefully. The tall, Yosen first year noticed the difference in the wild-looking teen that Tatsuya was seeing.

"Yeah Muro-chin, he's been doing that more when Kuro-chin was pulled off the court. It almost reminds me of Mine-chin. Sometimes having a partner there to support you makes you unable to unlock your potential until you are purposely putting yourself at risk." It surprised the dark-haired, Yosen ace to hear the tallest member of his team say something so profound. It as easy to forget that Murisakibara was really talented at the sport, he was such a child in all other aspects of his personality. "I wish I could be sitting on the bleachers with Kuro-chin's team. I didn't like it when that guy held Kuro-chin. He didn't even do it properly…" Atsushi whined. Himuro could not help but chuckle at his roommate's complaints. It was so sweet how much he adored the phantom of Seirin.

Shinkyo Academy caught up, but the score was still in Seirin's favor of 47-39. With only two minutes left in the second quarter, Kuroko entered the court and blazed the stage with his tap-passes, widening the gap to 55-39 within the short amount of time they had left. Seirin was even impressed by their shadow's brilliant plays, questioning if the boy was always this good. However, they rolled their eyes when they realized the Generation of Miracles' trump card was doing this for his boyfriends' reputations when they saw Kuroko giving a soft smile to the crowd and a thumbs up.

"Aw, Kurokocchi is so cool! He's playing so well for me and Kasamatsu-sempai!" The blond gushed with sparkles in his grin and stars in his eyes. "He's such a man!" Kise swooned.

"You are embarrassing!" Yukio scolded. He forced Ryouta's head in a bowing position, and restrained the model from cooing any further. Haizaki rolled his eyes at the Kaijou students.

"Listen to your classmates Ryouta. Honestly, I don't understand how Tetsuya stands you. The image of you on your knees, crying, and whimpering, I still remember it in great detail. Tetsuya may be the phantom miracle known in rumors, but you're the miracle that doesn't deserve to be one. The title is stained with your presence." Haizaki mocked. Before the blonde could defend his honor, Akashi stood up and had his right hand risen to signal to the Kaijou freshman to keep seated. Those commanding eyes were almost murderous. No one would ridicule, question, or hurt any of the Generation of Miracles if the red-head could do anything about it. Reo and Nijimura gave a look of pity at Haizaki, knowing that there was not a single person in the world that could stop Seiijuro now.

"Shogo, I asked you to leave the team because I know eventually that Ryouta would replace you. I did not want to damage your pride as a basketball player. Please leave before I show you your place." Knowing that his former Captain was being serious, the gray-haired teen scowled at the shorter man before leaving. There would be more opportunities to watch Kuroko's games. Imayoshi cocked his head at the Touou manager, asking if the boy was a former friend. When he saw the sad look in her eyes, and the anger in Aomine's, the Touou Captain did not press further.

The game was horribly one-sided, so Seto decided to lighten the conversation.

"So I'm just curious, who is dating or interested in dating Kuroko?" The Kirisaki Daiichi, Center player asked randomly. "Could you raise your hand or something? I'm just wondering because Kuroko told me he was a polygamist." The Generation of Miracles and Momoi raised their hands, along with Takao, Himuro, Imayoshi, and Kasamatsu. Mayuzumi, Hanamiya, and Sakurai wanted to raise their hands, but were either too embarrassed or feared the others' reactions if they did alert everybody of their attraction to Kuroko. Hara raised his hand, blowing a bubble that popped over his wide smirk. "Interesting…" Kentarou remarked, counting the hands raised and the people in denial.

The match ended with Seirin winning 84-67. Tetsuya wanted to make sure that they won by at least 10 points in order to cement his and Kise's skills in the eyes of not only Shinkyo Academy, but all of the people watching their match today.

"Hey Hyuuga, do you know why they're here?" Kiyoshi asked, pointing at Kirisaki Daiichi. The Captain glared at the team that injured his friend, but said nothing.

"I have a date with Seto-san tomorrow. He must been here to cheer me on during our match." Kuroko blankly said before taking a sip from his water bottle. Riko smiled a menacing smile that she usually only reserved when she skipped delightfully at the pain of others.

"Who gave you permission to date someone from that team?" The Assistant Coach asked. The phantom did not know what to say.

"Well, Akashi-kun gave his approval." He got a slap from a giant, paper fan.

"Kuroko-kun! I swear I'm going to hit you until my arm is sore!" The young woman announced and whacked the shadow with all her might. "You're dating the enemy!" Kagami was utterly confused, but saw the disapproving look in Coach Alex's face. It must have been serious if even carefree Alexandra did not like the news that Kuroko gave.

"Riko-chan, please stop hitting him." The blonde woman commanded. Riko was surprised by how low and serious the Coach's voice was, and immediately did as she said. "We'll talk about it later. I'm sorry Kuroko-kun." The transparent teen only nodded, wanting to enjoy their recent victory.

After the match, most of the teens from Teiko Academy left for the buses. Those interested in Kuroko however, stayed behind instead of waiting outside, and went down to congratulate the dark horse of the school.

Seirin Dormitory's win, while they realized that they were assured it, the players were still exhausted due to Kiyoshi being unable to participate. Kagami was being massaged by Riko, surprised by the Assistant Coach's strong hands but it was definitely appreciated due to his muscles being unused to such defensive positions. Papa may not be as skilled as Kise, Takao, or Himuro, his height still made him a formidable opponent. Mitobe was getting the same treatment by Koganei, letting out a soft sigh when a knot was pressed down hard, and Furihata was nervously giving their tense Captain a rub down, making sure to give his arms extra massaging due to the strain of the three-pointers. Hyuuga would comment for the freshman to do it harder, but in his honest opinion, just the warmth of the other's hands was relaxing enough. Izuki closed his eyes contently, appreciating his blonde coach's strong hands digging into his aching and sweating forehead. As a point guard and a possessor of an eagle eye, Shun's mind at times was just as exhausted as his body. But the one that Kuroko's suitors were interested in was the sky-blue teen himself.

Most of they thought it was adorable as the Iron Heart of the Uncrowned Kings pulled the miracle boy to sit in between his sprawled legs so Teppei could give Tetsuya a deserved, back rub. Kiyoshi hummed a merry tune as he helped his kouhai cool down from the match, oblivious to the intense stares directed at him and Kuroko. The Center player felt kind of guilty having to rely on the freshman when his knee was acting up; he was the protector, the one to keep his team motivated, and it felt terrible to not fulfill that position every time they went on the court. But will, when his little brother-like kouhai heaved out a pleased sigh and leaned closer to the soothing rub, trusting his fragile body in Teppei's large hands, it made a nice substitute for the lack of play. Alex watched the two; she cared for both boys like they were her sons (just like Taiga and Tatsuya), and was glad that Kiyoshi had taken an interest in the shadow. The young man was surrounded by love, yes, but Teppei was a protector, a provider of peace and comfort, but was not overbearing like Hyuuga and Riko could get.

The only one who seemed absolutely displeased by the exchange of brotherly friendship was Hanamiya Makoto. Kiyoshi was his opposite, for the large player was the cheerful, honest, loving, and caring type. Someone that made the genius' skin crawl with that wide, happy-go-lucky smile, and the affect was only magnified now that the tall, Center player was holding the beloved, shadowy boy. Kuroko's mouth turned upwards at the ends, and his neck stretched out to throw his head back against Teppei's right shoulder, exposing the soft, lean back for Kiyoshi to rub, looked so wrong to the Kirisaki Daiichi Captain. His teammates flinched when the Coach of the team was upset, and kept their silence while Imayoshi could barely contain his hearty laughter when he heard Hanamiya's teeth grinding in jealousy.

"Good Kuroko-kun?"

"Yes Kiyoshi-kun, it feels nice. Thank you so much," Not noticing that Makoto turned around and stormed off, with Yamazaki, Hara, and Furuhashi trailing after him to make sure the Uncrowned King of Kirisaki Daiichi did not annihilate everything in his path.

"Kuroko, can I treat you to something to eat tonight? It would be a nice way to celebrate your victory." Himuro sweetly offered with Takao and Murisakibara at his side, ready to join them if the sky-blue teen agreed. Soon the chaos began. Everyone scrambled to offer other opportunities to hang out with the shadow.

Kagami had to dodge Momoi's enthusiastically grabbed her boyfriend's arm while pushing Kiyoshi aside, drawing Kuroko closer and countered Tatsuya's suave looks and smooth, seductive voice, with her begging, peach-colored eyes, and pouty, trembling lips. She whined prettily about how she rarely got to eat a nice meal with the phantom, and wanted to make up for the fact that Sakurai and Akashi had ruined her chance of that by wasting her cookies. Imayoshi, Aomine, and Sakurai were behind her, knowing they would be tagging along as well, and that it would be hard for the aquamarine teen to refuse the young woman's advances. Wakamatsu was disturbed by his teammates' actions; they reminded him of sharks waiting for their meal to jump off the ship. Susa and Coach Harasawa rolled their eyes and regretted the fact that elite athletes and data gatherers were generally weird people like most of their team. Soon Midorima tried to slyly bribe Kuroko with a milkshake, which led to Kise whining that the transparent man should hang out with him and Kasamatsu at a fancy, sweets shop that had the best, vanilla sweets in all of Tokyo. Seto stood back and watched in amusement, not caring about hanging out with Kuroko today since his date with the Seirin first year was tomorrow. Tetsuya's usually blank face was scrunched slightly in discomfort, unable to decide until Akashi and Nijimura spoke up.

"Enough," The dark-haired, university student commanded. Everyone that was not a part of Teiko's basketball team was surprised by the man's presence. "Kuroko is not a pet that you can order around; he is a person. Stop acting so shameless and selfish." Akashi nodded.

"While Tetsuya has a large capacity for love and caring for others, even he needs a rest from everyone. I am disappointed in all of you." Akashi said, directing his words at his former teammates. The Rakuzan student walked up to Coach Alex and Assistant Coach Riko, not nearly as stern looking or intimidating as he usually did. "Please forgive my former teammates and peers' actions. If it is not too much to ask, could I place my trust for Tetsuya's safety in your hands? He needs time away from us as you can see." Alexandra gave a thumbs up in approval to the first year Captain.

"That shouldn't be a problem. Come on Kuroko-kun, I'm missing home. We'll get steak on me!" The blonde grinned at her pupil. Normally, a teacher would never offer such expensive food, but due to Teiko Academy's extravagant salary, she could afford to do such a thing. The blonde woman turned to her dark-skinned niece, happy to see that she did not appear upset about the unhealthy prospects they were about to endure. "Are you doing to join us as well Antonia?" Alex asked Antonia.

"Sure, I think it would be beneficial to have a large amount of protein after a game." Antonia commented, looking at Kuroko to let the shadow know that she wished for him to eat as much as possible. "Kuroko-kun, just don't be like Kagami-kun when it comes to eat. He is already embarrassing enough." Himuro pleasantly smiled at the Mexican-Japanese girl's jab at their childhood friend, knowing exactly what the dietician was talking about.

"Hey! I'm not embarrassing." Kagami almost pouted, but knew that it was just a friendly remark. "Now let's go get that steak!"

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The next chapter will have SetoKuro, HanaKuro, and some ImaKuro and KasaKuro! ;D Hope you liked this chapter.


	10. Chapter 10 Tough Guys

**Summary**: Kuroko hanging out with all the tough guys in his life.

**Notes**:  
1. I added HaiKuro because... I could not help myself. I am so sorry. I probably butchered Haizaki's character, but I love HaiKuro.  
2. I'm sorry this chapter is so long... I just could not shorten it anymore!

Okay, so why was this chapter so late? Well... I kept switching back and forth from writing SetoKuro smut, to not. I _really_ wish I did not make Kuroko promise his virginity to Akashi. Now I'm telling myself to NOT write ImaKuro smut next chapter... These are the things an Everyone/Kuroko shipper has to deal with.

**Word Count**: 10,907 Words

* * *

"So, why can't Kuroko go on a date with that one guy you dislike?" Kagami asked after finishing his shadow's leftover steak (even if it is a buffet, he did not like to waste food). Hyuuga looked at the wild-looking, Seirin freshman, not sure how to tell them what happened. This was Kiyoshi's incident, and the Captain did not want to tread or say anything that would offend the Center player. Most of the second years seemed to be thinking the same way as Junpei.

"Why can't Kuroko-kun date Seto? As long as he has fun, there is nothing wrong with it." Kiyoshi answered as he patted his full stomach in content. Hyuuga growled but Riko was the first to tug harshly at Teppei's ear. "Ow! Riko, that hurts! My ear isn't meant to stretch that way…" The Uncrowned King whined but still understood why the young woman did it. The assistant coach let go, but sent a look of disbelief at the large man.

"It is okay for Kuroko-kun to date whoever he pleases, but he should know of some information about any potential partners that they might not open up. Seto is part of the team that injured Kiyoshi's knee last year during the Interhigh, Championship League. While he did not join the team until this year, and rarely uses their foul tactics, Seto is definitely not unaware of his team's tactics. We're both teams in Tokyo, so we'll eventually meet in a tournament, and I don't want you to be disappointed when you eventually see it." Coach Garcia said. She adjusted her ponytail before continuing. "Just be careful where this will take you Kuroko-kun. Love is always wonderful, but there is always a price to pay for anything good in life… but then again, usually bad things that happen to us balance out in the end. I would have never discovered the joys of teaching if I did not have my genetic, eye disorder. Also, Teppei still loves basketball and wants to be a coach someday, don't you?" Kiyoshi nodded.

Kuroko watched everything went to normal, but he needed to think about how serious his actions were. Should he emotionally invest in a relationship with someone that hurts others? While Akashi could be brash, he rarely did things to physically hurt people. But was psychological and mental damage lesser than physical pain? Kiyoshi may be unable to play High School basketball if he does not get his knee surgery, but the elder, Uncrowned King was not discouraged from the sport. In fact, the second year, Center player seemed to cherish and love the sport as much as he did before the incident, and only spoke of hatred or desires to leave the sport when he faced Murisakibara. Kuroko would never break up with the purple-haired giant because he had unintentionally caused great damage to a person's psychosis, but the tall, first year was a big child in heart and personality. But Seto however, has a mature personality and is extremely intelligent. He understood that he was inflicting pain, the possibility and the weight of his decisions, and could easily restrain himself from being this way to other people. Was it okay to attempt to love someone who intentionally hurt others for their pleasure? Kuroko looked around, noticing everyone was busy with their dinner or chatting with those still eating, so the shadow slipped out of the restaurant.

As soon as the transparent teen closed the door quietly behind him, Kuroko saw Haizaki leaning against the building staring at the ground appearing completely bored. While the other's angular, handsome face was the same, his hair was darker and styled into cornrows, and Shogo's height was even greater. Tetsuya wondered why the other, former Teiko Middle School student was here, so far away from his school and coincidentally standing next to the restaurant Seirin Dormitory was eating at.

"Hello Haizaki-kun," Kuroko greeted. The gray-haired teen glanced up, those intense, piercing eyes were wide with surprise and swiftly reverted back to their normal state. The muscular teen walked up to the phantom, his face unreadable with that usual smirk.

"Hey, I saw your match today Tetsuya." Haizaki admitted. "You did well." The invisible, sixth man was surprised. The move thief rarely gave others compliments. Kuroko replied with a smile, silently thanking Shogo for the kind words. "Do you have some time?" Shogo asked, looking at the basketball courts two streets away. "I know you usually don't eat much, so your teammates could still be busy for a while." The logic made sense, so the two crossed the streets to their new meeting place.

"Thank you for watching my match Haizaki-kun. I hope I did not interrupt any important for you today." Kuroko said once they were next to the courts. "It is honestly a big compliment that a skilled individual such as you was there."

"Still annoyingly modest," Haizaki mumbled. The Fukuda Sogo student noticed a small smear of sauce at the crease where the shadow's lips met. "And I haven't stopped stealing either." Haizaki said as he rubbed his thumb against the strain. Kuroko let the gray-haired teen transfer the sauce from his face to Haizaki's hand, and watched as the taller male brought the thumb up to his face, lapping at the savory liquid with his long, thick tongue. Tetsuya took a step back subconsciously, feeling a little uneasy at the way Shogo looked like he was about to devour the sky-blue man. "I want to tell you a secret Tetsuya…" Haizaki drawled out. "Sometimes you are a scary man." The gray-haired teen sneered and backed the shadow against the basketball court fence.

"Why would you say that?" It was a bit confusing considering the position they were in. Shogo was always the aggressor in their years of knowing each other. He never appeared to be afraid of the shadow.

"I'm going to tell you a secret." Haizaki grinned and bent forward until his lips were just centimeters from Kuroko's left ear. "The devil likes to make certain people's hearts hid bed. He likes to rough up the sheets, but never enough that you're completely torn like god does sometimes. No, afterwards, he leans his head back and makes you warm up to him; understand him until you see yourself in him. Then the devil leaves on occasion, and as you look around, you see the fear in everyone's eyes, the leers of disgust from your peers, and these accusations thrown towards you, and when presented with all this evidence, you accept this dirty, filthy bed and fucked up heart." Haizaki told in a low whisper. "Yet your persistent, good behavior towards my kind… towards me, it motivates me to reject this double-standard affair with the devil." The rough tongue trailed Kuroko's ear, making the smaller man shiver in a mix of delight and horror. "But don't be mistaken Tetsuya. I am still not ready to quit it yet; so for now, I'm going to keep stealing your kindness." Pearly-white teeth skimmed against the phantom of Seirin's ear teasingly until it clamped down to inflict pain and euphoria. Kuroko whimpered softly before forcefully grabbing Haizaki's uniform to steady himself.

"You can't chase a devil away with what he steals from you…" Kuroko gasped, feeling like he was becoming boneless under the stimulation. "You scare him away with what you give him." The ghostly teen tip-toed, slipped a pale, nimble hand behind Shogo's head, and force their lips to meet. The taller, small forward shuddered from the surprise kiss, unable to do much else but to allow the shadow to crush their lips together. Instinctively, the gray-haired boy wanted to wrap his arms around the aquamarine teen, shove their bodies closer, and have what he jealously saw Nijimura experienced that night by the river. Yet who was he, the devil's whore, to demand such a thing? Yet Kuroko was here, pulling him closer, giving him the same love, admiration, and desire that he gave his former Captain. Knowing though that he should respect his distance, Haizaki made his hands grip hard onto the metal fence, practically cutting his hands from the pressure he pressed into the unbending metal. But he needed to resist, even if it harms him because it means Kuroko will feel safe. Kuroko can work and smooth the tears in the fabric the devil rips apart. When Kuroko pulled away, he had a pleased smile on his face as he stared at Haizaki. "Thank you for your help today Haizaki-kun, I was wondering something and your timing was perfect." They stayed like that for a while, just staring into each other's eyes.

"Hey, get away from Kuroko creep!" Kagami yelled from across the street. Haizaki backed away with an annoyed glare sent directly at the loud, Seirin freshman. Kuroko stepped away from the fence, wanting to explain the situation to his friend. Once the duo-colored teen reached them, Kuroko explained that Haizaki was a student who also played basketball at his Middle School. Taiga turned to Shogo, and noticed his hands were extremely red. "So you weren't fighting? Then how come your hands are red?" Kagami questioned, returning the other's glare with one of his own. Haizaki's lips curled into a grin, one that Kuroko's roommate could easily recognize on all of the shadow's boyfriends or girlfriend after they kissed or cuddled. "Oh god Kuroko, how many names and faces am I going to have to remember to fake politeness to when I answer the door? You know that I am not good at this." When both tall, High School students turned to the shadow, Kuroko had moved from his spot and into the basketball court. The teal-haired boy was confronting five men that were bothering three, Middle School students playing. Just as they were about to throw Kuroko, Haizaki and Kagami stepped in.

"Why don't we make this three against five assholes?" The gray-haired teen growled as he cracked his knuckles. Kagami nodded at Haizaki's idea, not pleased that one of his best friends in school was being manhandled. Eager for new targets for their amusement, the five men agreed to a five-on-three match against the three freshmen. They dropped Kuroko carelessly onto the ground, almost causing the phantom, sixth man to fall by his unsteady feet had Shogo not dashed over and caught the pale teen. "Hey Tetsuya, are you alright?" Kuroko nodded, but still appeared miffed by the rough treatment. "Hey, can one of you do the tip off?" Haizaki called out, unintentionally sounding intimidating.

"Haizaki-kun, you and Kagami-kun do not have to-"

"Baka, shut up! We're playing." Kagami interrupted. "I have a pretty good jump and offense. What about you Haizaki?"

"Ever played that annoying guy Kise Ryouta?"

"So you're pretty good?" Kagami asked.

"Yes, Haizaki-kun is exceptionally skilled at basketball." The phantom added.

"You need to stop puffing up your boyfriends' egos; it is only going to hurt them more when we beat them." Kagami noted.

"You just try…" Haizaki growled.

The ball was tossed into the air and Kagami easily retrieved the ball. The bothersome gang from another school was amazed by the Seirin ace's ability to almost fly into the air. Not wanting to underestimate the duo-colored man, three men screened from all sides. Not wanting to go through the hassle of driving through all of them, the light tossed the orange sphere behind him, trusting the shadow and Kuroko's love interest to make a successful play. Tetsuya immediately curved a smooth pass to Shogo's waiting hands, who drove the ball with fierce power and force. Haizaki was like a boxer with the way he moved. Quick, sudden, and when he finally went in for the blow, everyone was hit with the magnitude of the act, jaws dropped in awe. Taiga abruptly shut his gaping mouth to form into a smirk. As of now, this new guy was even stronger than Kise, the previous, strongest opponent the Seirin, power forward faced.

Meijo Academy's students were shocked. Were these guys in High School like them? Regrouping after the swift attack, they settled for a 2-2-1 man defense on Haizaki, Taiga, and Kuroko. Yet all these efforts seemed to be in vain, because all three boys' agility was on a different level than their own. For ten minutes straight, the three, colorful teenagers seemed to be running circles around Meijo Academy's varsity team. Haizaki and Kagami were harshly dunking the ball, sometimes the gray-haired teen would switch it up with an elegant, graceful, three-pointer, and the shadow of Seirin was hardly ever seen no matter how hard they tried to track him. Kuroko would only flash into their vision when he was stealing or passing the ball, swiftly sending it into the hands of either of his waiting teammates to score. If only they could score a single point or deflect a shot to stop the bleeding, agonizing defeat, but no matter what, by the time the team of three had worked up a light sweat in twenty minutes, the opposing, varsity team was either slumped or hunched over, panting, dripping wet from sweat, and clutching their chests due to the wound on their pride. The bullied, Middle School students watched everything, too stunned to voice their thoughts. Who were these guys? Was this level not reserved for professionals?

"Huh, you're okay in my opinion Haizaki!" Kagami beamed; his cellphone ready to exchange numbers. "Let's play again!" Haizaki was a little surprised by the attention, but it was certainly welcomed after Akashi's dismissal of him earlier. The two exchanged numbers, and turned to the reckless shadow that got them into this impromptu match. "And you idiot, what were you thinking? Did you think you could take on those guys by yourself?" Kuroko shook his head.

"Of course not, look at these guns." The transparent man said while flexing his muscles. Shogo merrily laughed while Kagami growled in annoyance.

"You don't have any!" The Seirin ace yelled.

"Precisely, I would not have stood a chance." Tetsuya shrugged and put his arm down.

"Then why did you confront them?" His roommate asked. Kuroko tilted his head towards Haizaki and gave a knowing look, confusing the gray-haired teen.

"Because devils cannot be thrust out unless you put effort." Kagami gave a look of disbelief, but just sighed in response. There he goes with the metaphors again. "By the way Haizaki-kun, I am sorry about earlier. I knew that you did not want a relationship and yet I-"

"Tetsuya, are you really going to apologize for that? Don't. Like I said, I'm thinking about ending it." Haizaki said, his eyes flashed with intense desire. "See you later Tetsuya," _It felt good to play with you again _was the former Teiko Middle School students' thoughts. The troublesome, gray-haired teen waved good bye and walked in the direction of the nearest bus stop. Kuroko wished the other could let go of his jealousy and envy for Kise, but at the same time, he understood. While he was acknowledged as being the trump card of the group of talented players that were the Generation of Miracles, but playing took everything he had and there was certainly a level of jealousy that was always present when the shadow wished to be light. While Haizaki was a light that was supposedly too dim to compete with the five by Akashi's knowledge, he was the only one that perhaps understood the magnitude of that pressure because he was so talented and almost was considered a miracle.

"So… you guys are dating or what?" Kagami asked, confused by the exchange of words. Kuroko shook his head. Perhaps later when Haizaki felt he was ready, but at least the move thief always knows that shadows will welcome him with open arms and love. Unfortunately for the invisible man, that was not what he received when he and Kagami ran back to the others.

"Kuroko-kun, where did you disappear to?" Riko shouted. Before anyone else could scold the phantom of their team, the young, Japanese woman pushed the cyan-blue boy onto the ground and used her infamous, Boston Crab hold. Knowing that there was not anything that they could do that was worse than that, everyone walked around them to the subway station nearby. Kagami gave a look of pity but followed everyone after that.

"Kagami-kun… save me…"

The next day, most of the Kirisaki Daiichi regulars were taking a rest from practice due to Second String's practice match with Meijo Academy. Seto could not fall asleep because the regulars of the rival team were so loud and futilely trying so hard. The borderline genius could not ignore such pathetic, crass people… they were just so sad and tragic, like a train wreck where the conductor had gone insane, and was still trying to step on the breaks to stop it. It was okay; since they were having a practice match, that meant today was Tuesday, and Kentarou had his date with Kuroko to look forward to. The sleepy man heard an annoyed growl from Hara, apparently he was trying to drown out the sound of sneaker squeaks, yelled out orders, and referee whistling with his music. Furuhashi even had a small sneer on his face while doing his homework, attempting to do his homework to be somewhat productive if they were not going to practice. The only two people that seemed to not be bothered by the pointless game and noise, was Yamazaki and Hanamiya. They seemed to be arguing about something.

"No way Hanamiya, they can't possibly be this weak! This is probably their Second String to allow their actual regulars to rest. Why else would they be losing this badly, but stubbornly trying this hard?" Hiroshi stated, trying to prove his side to be correct in the argument. Hanamiya sighed and tsk-ed at the naïve, shooting guard. The Captain and Coach pulled out a file from his school bag, which was a collection of documents that was information on Meijo Academy's top ten best players. Seto reviewed them earlier and Hanamiya was right. These guys were just not very good.

"Do not be surprised by human beings' mediocrity." Makoto dismissed as he relaxed on the bleachers. Yamazaki read through the notes and winced. The orange-haired teen hated that Hanamiya was always right. Even Meijo Academy's coach seemed bored by the game, and told Hanamiya to tell his players that he would wait for them on the bus. Hanamiya nodded with a perfect, polite smile, and made sure to keep it on his face until the elder man left.

"Come on!" The Captain of Meijo yelled. "Do you not remember yesterday? We're not going to lose like that?" They played yesterday? Seto thought that both of their teams were not playing an official match until tomorrow. "Just imagine you're facing that invisible brat! We'll beat him and this team to a pulp!" He bad-talked to rile up his team, they were down by over twenty points. All of the regulars became alert when they heard the man say "invisible brat." Did he just threaten to beat Kuroko Tetsuya? The boy they all had a crush on? Even if it was metaphorically, Kirisaki Daiichi's varsity, basketball team would not let unworthy people speak that way of the adorable, ghostly boy. They watched the match with more interest now. Seto ran hair gel into his hair to place into its perfect state, Hara blew bubbles that progressively got bigger as he thought who he would beat up first, and Koujirou's face was blank of emotion and hard as iron. Yamazaki was cracking his joints, and Hanamiya was analyzing where would be the best spots to attack so they would feel the most fear and pain when they encountered the Seirin freshman next time.

The fourth quarter finally ended with a score of 96-67 in Kirisaki Daiichi High School's favor. They bowed to their opponents and when Meijo Academy's heads were down, Hanamiya waved for the referee and the Second String team to leave at once. They knew when the Captain had that expression to leave as swiftly and quietly as possible to not piss off the sadistic, point guard any more than he already was. The five regulars stood in their teammates place, facing their given marks as if this was a basketball game. When the Meijo varsity team looked up and saw unfamiliar faces, they glanced around the room in confusion. Where was everyone else?

"You know, our team has a bad reputation but we're actually old-fashioned and gentlemanly." Hanamiya stated with a wicked smile on his face. For an average-sized player, the point guard could appear quiet menacing.

"So, what did the invisible brat that you want to beat to a pulp look like?" Yamazaki smirked.

"Light blue hair, pale, kind of short, and he is pretty cute, right?" Hara asked with a devious smile.

"He also doesn't attempt to make any shots, but can pass and steal with great speed." Furuhashi added. The regulars nodded nervously. What was going on?

"As a gentleman, I just can't sit there and be quiet when someone threatens my date. Even if Kuroko isn't here to hear it, it would not be right of me to just let you slip by without a word." Seto said before licking his lips. Oh fuck…

Kuroko was a little worried when the bus was running late. He did not want to be late for his date with Seto; the shadow knew from experience how awkward it could feel, standing there in front of an establishment waiting for someone. Sadly, according to the shadow of Seirin's watch, he was already five minutes late as soon as he stepped off the bus. He ran as swiftly as possible through the crowd, shifting through the people as quietly for he knew that they would not notice him brushing past and against them (most would excuse it as just the wind). Tetsuya saw Kentarou leaning against restaurant's window display, glancing around to make sure his date had not already arrived without the Kirisaki Daiichi, second year not noticing his presence. Kuroko smiled; the elder, dark-haired teen looked especially handsome in his school's uniform and his gold skin glowing under the light of day.

"I hope you were not waiting long Seto-san." Kuroko greeted. The Center player gave a pleased smile to the smaller teen and shook his head. It was not a lie; he almost missed his bus because he was busying beating up those punks from Meijo Academy to remember the time or glance at the clock. While they were a mess by the time he was finished, Seto was not able to make the other kid bleed as much as he would have liked. Kentarou sadly would just have to be satisfied by the bruises and swelling in the other's mouth from the brutal punches and kicks he dealt. "Seto-san, what is that stain on your hand? Did you hurt yourself? Is that blood?" Kentarou glanced at his left hand and noticed a small drop of blood that was indeed on him. Not wanting to cause panic or alert his date of what just recently happened, Seto grabbed the handkerchief from his jacket pocket and wiped the stain away gently and calmly.

"So, this is probably something I got during lunch time." The taller man dismissed. It still pleased the borderline genius that the younger, Teiko Academy student was so concerned about him.

"Oh, that is good. I hope you don't mind that I am quite thirsty after practice. I have a new practice regimen to increase my stamina." The transparent teen said, wanting to get a hot chocolate as soon as possible. Not one to wait for sweets either, Seto nodded and opened the door for his date. They were quickly able to get a booth in the back for privacy, and sat next to each other to be able to hold hands. "Your hand is very warm." Kuroko commented with a small smile, and rubbed his small thumb over Seto's larder one. The Center player grinned and leaned closer to the small forward.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Kentarou asked once their foreheads were pressed against each other.

"No, I like it actually." Before they could kiss, the waiter came back with their hot chocolate and desserts.

"So Kuroko, what does your new regimen have you do?" The Kirisaki Daiichi student asked.

"Most of it involves running more laps and practicing with weights under my wristbands." Kuroko answered. The conversation was always constant and smooth. They were moving through topics such as school, basketball, and even more personal topics such as their unusual, family life. Seto was the youngest sibling of his family, and his eldest sibling (his only sister) was already married and had two, twin boys that were three-years-old. Kuroko liked the love and adoration in the elder teen's eyes as he talked about his nephews. It was rare to see a teenager (especially a male) that appreciated children as much as the phantom did. Honestly, Kuroko could listen to Seto recount the tales of his adventures of babysitting the rambunctious twins that equally adored their young uncle in return. Teach the hyperactive children how to play sports, playing video games, watching various movies, and of course, hectic bath time where somehow half of the water sloshed out of the tub and all over the bathroom, causing both teens to laugh. Seto was grateful that Kuroko enjoyed children as well. Every time he told these stories, most people thought he was creepy to be a teenager that liked kids.

The shadow added his own experiences of helping his grandmother on weekends with her daycare. How amusing it was to see their bright, toothy-smiles when he performed a sly, magic trick, chasing after the elusive, trouble makers (the ones that everyone knew their names by heart) to take his or her nap, and playing a variety of games outside in their backyard, almost everything about the young ones made Tetsuya smile. They were so busy talking that they did not notice that both of them were scooting closer until their hip bones were touching.

"But honestly, the children at my grandmother's daycare have greatly benefitted my life. I know what I want to do after High School now, and they even influenced the way I play basketball." The shadow said.

"Oh really, how so?" Seto asked, genuinely curious.

"When I realized how well misdirection worked on performing magic tricks for them, it made me think about utilizing that in my style. I am not physically blessed, so I needed to find a way around that." When they were finally so close that Kuroko's head rested more against the larger man's shoulder than the leather bench, they turned to each other. Dark violet stared at milky-blue, and vice versa. Without a water to interrupt them, the two men tilted their heads and kissed. Kentarou's full, sensuous lips were practically lava to the ghostly teen, sending a rush of heat through his body. So hot, intense, and consuming, that the apparition-like teen had to lean his whole body against the dark-haired teen's solid frame. Seto did not mind. It felt good feeling the slimmer male press up against his body. The Center player had to fight back the urge to pull Tetsuya's lean, flexible body on top of his, especially when those slender hips moved on their own, grinding slightly against his. Instead, the muscular male settled for squeezing the petite freshman's hand, content with making the sensitive, Teiko Academy student shiver when his thumb brushed over the knuckles. When they parted, both had a tint of disappointment in their eyes. "Seto-san, may I have another?" He asked so sweetly. Unable to resist, they kissed again; it felt just as good as the first.

They continued until they both had lost track of how many they exchanged. It felt weird to not feel the pressure of the other teen's lips against their own, nerves set on fire from the passion. Kuroko did not even know when he firmly gripped the elder man's tie or Seto had a large hand on the nape of the transparent player's neck, but those simple touches were sending blazing heat to their groins. They sat in the booth, sliding further away to try to calm themselves down. Seto fixed his hair that got gently tussled by the kissing, and Kuroko unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt to cool down.

"You know, after that, we probably would not feel cold going on a walk outside." The borderline genius commented, feeling the light amount of sweat making his clothes stick to his body. The shadow nodded. Seto paid for the bill, not caring to wait for the change as he grabbed his flushed date's hand, and led them outside. Seeing the dark clouds in the sky, the Kirisaki Daiichi student knew that it would be bad to go to the park or an open area in case it rained. The duo settled for strolling through the sidewalks now that they were less populated due to the questionable weather looming over their heads. Both Tokyo natives were content to walk an even pace in silence, just enjoying the peace and holding hands. Kuroko was surprised that Seto instantly walked slowly enough for his smaller stride to keep up, but remembered the second year was rather lazy. They were opposites in almost every way physically, yet they strangely had a lot in common, and a great amount of chemistry (especially for a first date).

"Seto-san, it looks like it is about to rain." Kuroko said holding out his hand with two droplets pooled in his palm.

"Ah, we should find some shelter." The dark-haired man said scouted for a building to take cover in. There was a familiar business that was close by; an American-based business (that recently went International) called Metro Naps, a place in the business district that allowed CEOs, and other business people to come in to nap during their lunch break. Seto would occasionally stop by there for an hour before visiting his father at his work (the man was General Chief of Staff of a hospital) and delivering the prepared meal his mother made for her spouse. They entered the establishment just as the rain was steadily falling. The receptionist that was familiar with the Kirisaki Daiichi student greeted him warmly and asked if he wanted the usual amount of time for a nap. Seto nodded, pulled out the needed amount, and asked for an hour nap for two people.

"Huh, why two people?" She wondered. The young woman looked around and froze for a split second when she noticed the sky-blue teen. "Oh my goodness, I am so sorry! Yes, two people…" She wrote down. The receptionist led them into the back where the beds were, giving them one of the king-sized ones so they had enough space between the two of them. "Please remember to take off your shoes, and keep on enough clothes that in case of an emergency, you can evacuate immediately. I will wake you up an hour from now, and I hope you enjoy your nap." As soon as the woman left to go back to her desk, Seto slipped his shoes off, undid his tie, and removed his jacket to get comfortable. Kuroko took off his shoes as asked, and disrobed himself of his own jacket, following the elder's actions.

"What better way to pass through the storm than by napping?" The Center player reasoned to the shadow. It made sense. Plus, it was comfortable to sleep next to each other. They slipped under the covers, crawling to the middle of the large mattress. Kentarou rested on his back, his left arm stretched out to rest under Tetsuya's neck. The pale teen rested his head against the Center player's arm, laying on his side so he could snuggle against the taller man. The shadow wrapped an arm and leg lazily around the other man, almost falling asleep right then. Seto used his other arm to pull the blankets over them, smiling down at Kuroko's peaceful form before he entered into slumber as well. It was blissful to be in each other's arms, knowing another person was there to comfort them. Hopefully there would be more moments like this in the future.

Fifty minutes into the schedules, nap time, Kuroko's eyes fluttered open and he instantly noticed how warm it was. He shirted carefully so as not to wake up his still sleeping date. The phantom, sixth man sat up without making the bed creek, straddling the elder man's hips, and looked down at the elder teen. His dark- ebony hair was splayed all over the pillow and his usually exposed forehead, but the signature, beauty mark was still visible. Kentarou's mouth was parted, and cute snores escaped the gaping mouth. For such a tall, intimidating man, Seto was surprisingly adorable when he slept. Unable to resist, Kuroko leaned down, chest-to-chest with the elder man, and pressed his thin, pale lips against the sleeping beauty. The ghostly boy did not fight (unlike last time) when the Center player snaked his strong arms around his cinched waist, lowing the way those hands clutched the dip of his back. Seto boldly ran his tongue against the other's bottom lip, Kuroko questioned if it was okay to open-mouth kiss on a first date, but when the powerful body subconsciously jolted up and caused their groans to touch, the shadow stopped thinking and groaned wantonly for more. As they tasted each other, enjoying the lingering sweets still on their tongues, Kuroko rolled his hips against Seto's, backing up his firm behind against the other's growing arousal while gliding his own, clothed erection against the man underneath him. Those two buttons that were still undone allowed Kentarou to sneak a heat-filled hand to sink in, accessing Tetsuya's neck.

Seto's skilled tongue forced Kuroko's into submission, causing the slim teen to mew in pleasure. They slid their bodies against each other, mimicking the motions of sex. Kuroko had to pull away to breathe, but was constantly moaning from the friction. The Kirisaki Daiichi student was encouraged by the younger one's groans and whimpers, and moved both of his hands onto Kuroko's circling hips. His rough hands pulled the first year down harder while thrusting his hips upwards. The transparent teen gasped right into the Center player's ear, a deliriously wonderful sound that compelled Seto to do it again. Flushed face, a glow of sweat, and heated moans were making Seto away of the situation they were getting themselves into, and the elder immediately halted his and Kuroko's movements.

"I think I should take you back to your dorm, unless you're absolutely ready for this." Kentarou hesitantly said. Tetsuya sighed and buried his head against the taller man's neck. It was getting harder to keep his promise to Akashi.

"I am not ready. Thank you, Seto-san," The invisible man said as he swung himself off the dark-haired teen. Both sat up, willing their desires away before the receptionist came back to alert them their time was up. They did not hold hands as the Kirisaki Daiichi student escorted the Teiko Academy freshman back to his school. They would send concerned glances, but as soon as the other noticed they would turn away. "This is no one's fault Seto-san. We are both teenagers, who are very attracted to each other, and sometimes things happen." Kuroko said in order to break the awkward tension. Kentarou sighed.

"Yes, I am aware of that. Let us agree to activities though that will prevent such things happening prematurely." The genius decided. The transparent teen nodded, and grabbed Seto's hand to show that he trusted the older man still. They shared a quick kiss when they said good bye to each other. Kuroko walked into the open room and greeted his teammates, all of them shocked by his sudden appearance and because he was on time for his curfew.

"So, did you have fun?" Koganei asked. Kuroko nodded.

"Perhaps a little too much fun…" The shadow mumbled but everyone heard it. The phantom left before anyone could ask anymore, leaving them to wonder to themselves what he meant.

"Should we ask?" Kiyoshi wondered, concerned about their team member. Hyuuga shrugged.

"I'm sure he'll tell us when he's ready. Let us not push him tonight. We have a game tomorrow." The Captain said, but his brows were still scrunched in distress.

The next day, Kirisaki Daiichi played their first, official match, and Seto seemed more into it than his usual, lazy self. Everyone on the team noticed; did something happen on his date with Kuroko yesterday? Did it not go well?

"So man, how was yesterday?" Hara asked once their match was over. Everyone else stared at the Center player, silently demanding an answer. Kentarou sighed; he did not look pleased with himself. So it did not go well?

"I had a good time." The borderline genius said.

"So what's wrong with you?" Yamazaki asked bluntly while putting on his varsity jacket.

"It went too well. I almost had sex with the guy on our first date." Seto admitted, knowing they (most likely through Hanamiya's deductive reasoning or Hara's curiosity) would find out soon. Everyone eyes bulged and they continued to stare uncomfortably at the Center player of their team. "We went to my favorite place to take a nap, that place by my dad's hospital." Kentarou started to explain. "We wanted to sleep through the storm, so we slept next to each other. He must have woken up before me, because I woke up to him kissing me. I guess being in a bed with him sitting on my hips, caused us to listen to our hormones…" Hara gave a loud "Ooooh!" in approval, making Seto blush. "But we still had our clothes on and I was able to stop before anything serious happened. While he doesn't blame me, I still can't help but feel like I fucked up." Kazuya could only think of how he would not stop himself if he were in the sleepy man's position. "So yeah, I was a big, horny idiot, and I'm probably not going to be able to see Kuroko any time soon." The Center player heard his cellphone vibrate. It was a message from Kuroko. He read it to himself and smiled. Wondering what it said, Hara stole the device and read it. Kentarou tried to retrieve it back but the lavender-haired boy was too quick.

"Aw! 'Seto-san, Seirin won today 118-51 but I was not allowed to play. Hope you did well during your match. I wish I could kiss you right now, you're very good at it.' Hahaha, cutie is kind of blunt! Aw… now I want a date with him too. If he's impressed by your skills then he'll definitely love what I can give to him." Hara gushed as he read it out loud. The power forward typed something quickly and hit the send button before he tossed the cellphone back to his embarrassed teammate. Seto punched him in the arm as revenge, but the bubblegum teen just laughed it off.

Meanwhile, the shadow was sitting restlessly in his bed. He was studying since he was excused from class due to basketball, even though the team did not allow him to play in order to preserve his strength. Kuroko's knees kept twitching in excitement and desire. He wanted to play, but there were orders from the highest authority of Seirin Dormitory (Coach Alexandra Garcia) that told him he could not even practice today, even if the basketball that lay under Kagami's bed was tempting. The shadow looked at his sleeping light, who always crashed after a game due to his inability to sleep the night before. Sometimes the sky-blue teen worried about the Seirin ace (and not just because of his poor sleeping habits). Taiga was similar to the Generation of Miracles during their Teiko Middle School days of development. As the duo-colored teen refined his talent though, would he become like them? Tired of the sport they loved, wallowing in the ether of narcissism, and encourage others to not follow their interest in the game? Kuroko hoped his new, best friend would not go down that road, but no one knew the future. Tetsuya was snapped out of his thoughts when he received a text message. It said that it was from Seto Kentarou, so the apparition-like man unlocked his phone to view the message.

"… this does not seem like something Seto-san would write… 'Cutie, wanna g2 the movies this weekend?' Did someone use Seto-san's phone and accidentally sent this to me?" Kuroko asked to himself. A minute later, another message came from Kirisaki Daiichi's Center. "Oh… okay, this makes sense. 'Sorry, Hara took my phone. He wants to go out with you.' But I've never met Hara-san…" It did not seem appropriate that he would go on a date with someone he never met. While he was someone that knew Seto, Kuroko knew to be cautious. He texted an offer to Hara, and gave up trying to study. The aquamarine teen looked at the time, and realized Kaijou should be getting back from their game soon. Kuroko decided that it would be nice to visit Kasamatsu, barely seeing the senior except during lunch time.

Seto was surprised during their lunch at First Kitchen, that he received a text from Kuroko. Did the younger man want to hang out today? The Center player read the message and cocked his eyebrow at the suggestion. The younger boy was too kind sometimes.

"Hey Hara, Kuroko would not mind meeting you if you decide to get to know him with Hanamiya on Thursday." Kentarou said. Kazuya turned to Makoto and sweetly pouted like a child, begging to tag along.

"Go ahead, it's not a date. I just want to make sure the annoying brat isn't going to guilt Seto into giving up on playing rough." Hanamiya huffed, even though he liked the idea of being alone with the angelic boy.

"Then I will come along as well." Furuhashi butted in.

"Why not? I'm not busy." Yamazaki said, agreeing to come along. Hanamiya growled but kept silent. Damn his teammates and his pride from getting in the way of his desires…

Kasamatsu was surprised that there was a knock on his door. Most people were either cheering for Shuutoku Dormitory and their afternoon match, or still in class. Yukio opened the door and looked around.

"I'm here Kasamatsu-san." A familiar voice called out. The spiky-haired, third year jumped slightly but was slowly getting used to his boyfriend's weak presence. "You won by a great margin according to the scoreboard. I'm glad that you played well," Tetsuya congratulated the elder man. Kasamatsu nodded and smiled. The dark-haired teen moved out of the way and kept the door open, allowing Kuroko to enter his dorm room. It was similar to the way the shadow of Seirin kept his half of the room, except that there were more pictures of Kasamatsu's friends, family, and past teammates that already graduated. There was also an electric and acoustic guitars in the corner, both instruments displayed on a stand and kept in great condition. Kasamatsu took his slippers off and walked to the bed. He sat down and patted on the spot next to him, gesturing for the ghostly teen to sit with him.

"Why are you here? Surely it was not just to say you were glad that we won." Yukio said as he turned to wrap an arm around the younger one, pulling both of them down onto the bed. Kuroko smiled down at the heavy arm around his waist. Even when he was resting, the Captain of Kaijou was still pushing his body to the limits by wearing weights on his wrists.

"I just wanted to see you again Yukio-san." Kasamatsu's cheeks turned pink, but thankfully the elder man could still speak. The dark-haired teen's shyness was adorable to the Seirin Dormitory freshman. "I like seeing you blush. You look cute that way." Tetsuya said almost deviously, knowing that the honest confession would make Yukio blush a dark red, resembling a cherry.

"Honestly, those blunt statements might get you in trouble in the future…" Kasamatsu mumbled into the pillow so Kuroko could not hear. The trouble the spiky-haired man was predicting was the eventual, hard moment where he would graduate High School and how that would drastically reduce their time together.

"What was that?" The shorter male asked.

"Nothing… oh, do you want me to teach you how to play guitar? Maybe that will put you in the mood to study." The usually blank-face scrunched with amazement. How did Yukio know that he was supposed to be going over his lessons? "I knew you had some other motive!" The dark-haired man teased. Oh well, he would enjoy this time with his boyfriend while he could, and any problems down the road could be handled later.

Thursday afternoon was a strange practice for Kirisaki Daiichi. It was strange because it was pleasant and merciful. While many people would think in a High School of the wealthy, would have activities meant to appease the rich brats that were spoiled all of their lives, but with Hanamiya's addition to the basketball team shattered that expectation. Then this year, when the Coach quit because he would not handle the bad boy of basketball and the Uncrowned King reigned untested, unchallenged, and free to do so as he pleased, meaning basketball practice became a military camp to those that were not lucky enough to become regulars. The sadistic, High School teen had a philosophy of _Birds of a feather flock together_ and since he did not want to be associated with weaklings. Hanamiya made sure that everyone was in perfect form and tournament ready through harsh work outs, diet management, and punishments. Yet today was different. It was the combination of fewer laps, insults, and those compliments that were rare seemed to fill the almost relaxing air. Was this really their Captain and Coach? Even the regulars were not as playfully cruel as usual. Hara was not trying to stick gum on the poor, Third String members that would pass out, Yamazaki was not barking horrible insults at them, and Furuhashi did not throw deadly, condescending looks of disgust (Seto rarely bothered anyone because he would usually sleep if he was not needed).

The reserved players grew too curious though when their Captain called practice off early. What was going on? They saw the regulars and the Uncrowned King dashed to the locker room to take a shower, so everyone agreed Second String would spy on the elite players of their school, while Third String put the basketballs away. The teens entered the changing facility and stayed by their lockers so as not to draw the devious boys' attention. They were discussing something while showering. It is not an uncommon thing to do, but it was the topic that was weird.

"So he likes vanilla?" Furuhashi asked Seto.

"Yeah, he acquired a taste for it since that is the most popular flavor for the kids at his grandmother's daycare." Seto clarified.

"Why aren't you joining us Seto?" Koujirou asked.

"Have to babysit the twins so my sister can have a date night in peace."

"What else does Kuroko like?" Hiroshi wondered.

"Usual stuff really… basketball, movies, collecting cards, reading mystery novels, doing magic tricks, I think Kuroko likes a lot of things." Kentarou listed off.

"By the way, where are we taking him on our group date Hanamiya?" Hara asked after the water pressure popped his bubble. They were going on a large, group date? But why did they sound like they were only going out with one other person? Those questions soon blanked out of their minds when they heard the regulars heartily laugh at the demonic Captain.

"Aw, Mako-chan is blushing!" The lavender-haired boy cooed mockingly.

"Shut up baka! Don't call me Mako-chan, and I am not blushing! The water is just warm…" The image of Hanamiya blushing sent horrible shivers down the Second String members' spines. "And since the idiot likes basketball, I thought he'd like to watch the Seiho vs. Kitawada game today. They have an evening match at six."

"Aw, Mako-chan wants Kuroko to enjoy our date with him today."

"Hara, if you call me that again, I swear to god-"

"We'll have to hurry if we want to make it in time for the bus." Furuhashi noted. The regulars of Kirisaki Daiichi's basketball team except Seto all hurried up and got dressed into casual clothes. So even they could be like regular, High School boys, and get excited for a date. But who was scary enough to captivate their hearts? Was it some demonic entity from hell? Knowing it was better to keep to themselves, they all remained quiet, got dressed, and rushed home.

Kuroko was walking to the bus stop after practice, wearing comfortable clothes for his outing. He wore his usual white, T-shit, and black, knee-length shorts, but decided to humor his boyfriend Takao by wearing the Shuutoku, varsity jacket that the point guard gifted to him over a week ago. Takao pretended to lose the jacket he gave to Kuroko in order to make it happen. Unfortunately, this caused his non-Shuutoku Dormitory boyfriends to desire to see the phantom in their varsity clothes as well, and Tetsuya having to promise to wear them if he was cheering for them in a match (the only exception being that when his dorm or two different dorms that were pitted against each other). At least some good came out of the usual garment. Takao squealed in delight and gave the shadow a wonderful kiss, but it was Midorima's faint blush and look of appreciation that elated the quiet boy. Kuroko never realized how much everyone missed being on his team. He missed them as well, but he was still thankful to have made his new friends at Seirin Dormitory.

As Kuroko arrived at the bus stop, Hanamiya and three young men exited the bus, a boy with lavender-hair that covered his eyes, a brunette with eyes that resembled a dead fish, and an orange-haired boy that had narrow eyes. The phantom, sixth man was prepared for two companions, Seto's Captain and teammate, but who were the two extra people? Other teammates that were curious about Seto's date with him? They looked around for the transparent teen, only for Makoto to accidentally walk into the shorter boy. The bad boy of basketball held back a scream of surprise, but could not stop his eyebrows for twitching. The other three regulars yelped in surprise; how could they have not seen the pale boy? When the invisible teen greeted all of them, Hanamiya noticed the orange, varsity jacket that looked very different compared to the one they saw him wearing against Shinkyo.

"What's with the jacket? Did Seirin change their dormitory colors?" The point guard asked. Kuroko adjusted the large garment that was more fitted for Takao's larger body, before responding.

"My boyfriend Takao-kun gave me his spare, Shuutoku varsity jacket. He wants me to wear it when I cheer for him at his games." Hara's mind was flooded with the sexy images of Kuroko sitting on his bed, legs flirtatiously crossed, and wearing nothing but Kazuya's varsity jacket to give him some remote modesty. Kazuya shook his head; he had to at least make one good impression on the cute boy before entertaining such thoughts. "Excuse me for asking this, but the only one that I am familiar with is Hanamiya-san. Would you mind if I knew who all of you are?" Kuroko politely asked to Kirisaki Daiichi's power forward, small forward, and shooting guard.

"Sure cutie, I'm Hara Kazuya!" The bubblegum teen said and swung a friendly arm around Kuroko's shoulders. "By the way, I think I figured out the secret to your misdirection technique. So don't be surprised if it doesn't work against me." Hara bragged.

"I would be in big trouble if you would figure it out so easily, Hara-san." The shadow said with a small smile, silently challenging the power forward to do as he implied. Yamazaki flung Hara's arm away from the petite boy, and replaced it with his own. The power forward flared at the shooting guard (not that Hiroshi could see it, but he could sense it) but held his tongue so he did not upset the Seirin freshman.

"That idiot doesn't know what he's talking about, so just ignore him. I'm Yamazaki Hiroshi, the shooting guard of the team." The orange-haired teen said a little too loudly, due to him being nervous when addressing the angelic looking boy. Koujirou noticed Tetsuya's wince of discomfort from Hiroshi's volume and harsh, possessive hold, so he just stood in front of the sky-blue man and extended a hand for Kuroko to shake.

"Furuhashi Koujirou, and I'm also part of the basketball team." The small forward of Kirisaki Daiichi said. When they shook hands, Furuhashi was surprised the surface of the shadow's palm was rough and had plenty of thick, scar tissue from calluses and blisters. It was unexpected for the petite, delicate-looking teen, but given his special abilities in passing and stealing, the strain must do some damage to the younger player's hands.

"It is nice to meet all of you." Kuroko paused to button up the jacket now that the sun was setting, causing him to feel cold. "Seto-san is lucky to have concerned teammates like all of you. You are all here, joining Hanamiya-san on our outing to make sure that Seto-san was seeing someone you would approve of. You must all be great friends." What was with this kid? Was he human? Sure, they were bad boys, and they liked being hateful bastards, but with Kuroko around them and complimenting them, all of them felt like they were going to melt from the sweetness of it all.

"Well… if Seto saw you right now, he'd probably want you to wear our Kirisaki Daiichi jackets as well on your dates. I can get you one by next Friday if you want." Hanamiya slyly said, hoping Kuroko would take the bait and request their varsity jacket. Tetsuya's smile dissipated and he sighed.

"I do not think Seto-san would want another date with me anytime soon. He was pretty upset with me at the end of our date." The Captain rolled his eyes. Seto and Kuroko were such idiots.

"Baka, he wants to go on another date. He actually respects you." Makoto said on behalf of his Center player. "Now come on, the bus is coming. We're watching Seiho and Kitawada play." Kuroko perked up.

"I heard Seiho is one of the Kings of Tokyo in terms of basketball." The conversation all the way to the stadium was pleasant after that. Hara and Yamazaki did most of the talking, with Hanamiya, Furuhashi, and Kuroko adding their thoughts once in a while. It surprised the ghostly teen when Kazuya presented his theory as to how Kuroko's misdirection worked, utilizing his short stature and diagonal movements to not appear visible to everyone because the human eye had problems accurately processing that kind of movement. It was wrong, and while a magician never revealed his secrets, Tetsuya had to admit that he enjoyed the elder's analysis and intelligence that accompanied his playful side. Yamazaki was pretty similar to Kagami; he was kind of loud, blunt, and overpowering, but never did it on purpose to annoy people (except perhaps Hara). As for Koujirou and Hanamiya, both were harder to read despite Kuroko's observation skills. At times they seemed similar to the phantom, mostly staying silent and gathering information, but the main difference was their confidence. Furuhashi always had a slight hesitation in comparison to Hanamiya's fluid words and motions.

They arrived a couple minutes before the match started, allowing them to find seats right next to each other (before it got too crowded). Both teams were still warming up, but even then, the shadow of Seirin found Seiho to be an unusual team. Kitawada appeared determined, but they seemed average.

"Urgh, I forgot that Tsugawa guy goes to Seiho High School… he is annoying." Hiroshi commented.

"What do you mean Yamazaki-san?" He knew that High School freshman. Tsugawa could effectively defend against Kise, making him a formidable opponent.

"He's so loud!"

"But Yamazaki… this should mean that you two would get along." Furuhashi said in a way that no one could tell whether it was a joke or not.

"Loud or not, he does play defense fairly well. It would not work well against our team though." Hanamiya commented. "They do well against offense teams that focus scoring from the inside with dunks and two-pointers, and also teams with a high pace. You only need a good strategist or shooter, and thy actually aren't that tough."

"Hm… Hyuuga-sempai is very skilled, but I think his stamina would get drained if he stayed in his clutch-time mode for too long. What would you suggest as a strategy to combat them Hanamiya-san?" Kuroko wondered.

"Simple, use a stealthy man-on-man defense when they are on the offense, or…" The point guard paused to give the object-of-his affection a knowing look. "Have a player that is able to sneak past their defenses to open up an attack pattern for the team. The combination of shock and pressure would disorient them, clenching the victory for the opposing team. This would be most effective if they were marked by Seiho's ace while doing this." Hanamiya leaned back against his seat. "Those are the simplest ways. There are other ways, but those would be the best for an inside-based, high pace team, so they could utilize their skills best." Kazuya leaned over to his Captain.

"You do realize that you helped someone with basketball instead of saying your usual response like 'think of one yourself dumbass' or something like that?" Makoto glared at his teammate.

"You are annoying." Hanamiya remarked. Unfortunately for Kitawada, they could do neither of those things the bad boy of basketball suggested. The unusual but almost flawless defense of Seiho was overwhelming, not allowing them to score a single point during the first quarter. Hara winced at the total domination of one of the three Kings; the secondhand embarrassment for Kitawada was brutal. Kuroko thought it was strange that a team with only average to slightly tall players managed such a pressuring defense, until he saw their limbs were moving in an unnatural rhythm.

"They don't use cross-body movements." The bubblegum teen voiced. Everyone else nodded.

"Yes, they do not run or move traditionally. Seiho's basketball is inspired by martial arts, and the style of running the use is called a Namba run. This is why the usual ways to pressure a defensive team such as Seiho, with an attack on their stamina and speed, does not work. They have already gone through great measures to reduce the obvious flaws in their strategy."

"Incredible, basketball has so many different styles." Kuroko sighed.

"Why are you so surprised? I have never seen your style performed by anyone else." Koujirou said. The second quarter looked somewhat promising for Kitawada, who scored their first three points.

"I have seen different individual styles, but never a whole team." Kuroko cleared up.

"It does not matter the style you use. There are basic attack patterns that all teams use. Basketball isn't any fun unless you create your own entertainment." Hanamiya sighed. In those few words, the Seirin freshman finally understood everything. Hanamiya's foul style and dirty tactics had risen from sexual sadism, boredom, but a desire to stay connected to the sport that once brought him such entertainment. It was actually sweet how loyal the Uncrowned King was to basketball.

"Hanamiya-san is quite romantic." The transparent teen blurted out. The Coach and Captain of Kirisaki Daiichi blushed and called the younger male an idiot. "But it is true. For you to desire to play, even when you find the sport boring is proof. Instead of just quitting, you tried to find a way to make it fun again. It is similar to married couples that have been together for over seven years and feel the itch, and when they feel themselves drifting apart, they do their best to continuously rekindle the romance and keep themselves from splitting up." Kuroko explained. "It is very sweet and kind. Hanamiya-san would make someone a great husband someday with that kind of work ethic towards things he cares for." The three regulars send looks of biting jealousy towards their Captain, but they had no effect. Hanamiya was doing his best to calm his head and not think of a loving, married life with Kuroko with the perfect house, maybe a dog or two, and gentle kisses goodnight… oh god!

The basketball game ended in favor of Seiho 76-12, not shocking after the first half. Everyone rode the bus back to Kuroko's school, wanting to escort the apparition-like teenager back to his school in order to spend more time with him, ensure his safety, and they knew that if anything bad did happen to the quiet boy, Kuroko's lovers (including Seto) would unleash their wrath upon the group of bad boys.

"So, do all of you feel I am worthy of dating Seto-san?" Kuroko asked once they were in front of his dorm building. Hanamiya shrugged.

"You're not a complete moron. I would not disapprove." The others nodded in agreement.

"But… do you like me enough to go on a date on Saturday?" Hara asked with a big grin. Kuroko had an expressionless face, but nodded. "Great, I'll pick you up at 5:30pm Kuroko. See you later!"

"Bye Hara-san, I look forward to spending more time with you. Good bye Hanamiya-san, Yamazaki-san, and Furuhashi-san, it was nice to spend this afternoon with you. Please let Seto-san know that I am still interested in dating him, and would gladly see one of his matches while wearing your team's varsity jacket." Kuroko said. They gave each other their phone numbers and watched as the phantom disappeared inside.

"I can see why Seto likes him." Furuhashi admitted.

"He also has a nice ass." Hara added.

"You're disgusting!"

Kuroko got dressed in a baggy shirt and pajama shorts to sleep, feeling drained and desired to sleep early. Just as the shadow was about to slip under the covers, he and Kagami heard a knock on the door. It was Coach Garcia and Imayoshi, both dressed in their sleepwear as well.

"Hello Taiga, can I talk to you for a minute?" The blonde called for her power forward. "Guess what? Your parents are here to visit you! They wanted you to sleep in the guest room with them. Since you rarely see them, would you mind spending some time with them? They did come all the way from America to watch your game tomorrow." The wild-looking teen shot up with a smile. Despite his rough appearance, Kagami loved both of his parents dearly and now felt extremely motivate (even more so than usual) to win tomorrow for them. The Seirin ace waved good bye to his best friend and raced downstairs to hang out with his family. "You wouldn't mind if Imayoshi was your roommate for tonight, would you Kuroko?" Coach Alexandra asked. It surprised the shadow, but he nodded in agreement to the arrangement. He cared deeply for Shoichi, and any time (even if it was spent asleep) made the shadow happy. Still, this was highly suspicious for students from different dorms, was known to be dating, and had an age gap, to be allowed to sleep together in the same room. Kuroko hoped something terrible did not happen to his loved one. "Good, now get some rest. We play against Meijo Academy tomorrow!" Alex cheered before leaving the couple alone. They walked to Tetsuya's bed in silence, only speaking once they were under the protective covers.

"Are you alright?" Imayoshi sighed.

"I knew you were going to ask that." The elder teen whispered as they encircled their limbs around each other. The point guard gave the small forward's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Nothing is wrong. I just complained to Coach Harasawa that Aomine has been skipping practice even more frequently than usual. When asked how we could possibly motivate him, I told him about this little plan." Shoichi grinned. "Not only do I get to sleep beside you, but I'll make Aomine angry enough to show up for practice. Your Coach is quite helpful and accommodating."

"And you are very devious," Kuroko commented but had a small smile on his face. He knew the Captain of Touou only did this because the dark-haired teen cared about the underclassman. "You look cute in your pajamas. I guess that is my added benefit to this arrangement."

"Aw, you shouldn't say such flattering things if you want to remain a virgin tonight…" The dark-haired, third year hushed. Imayoshi teasingly thrust against Kuroko, eliciting a soft groan from the younger teen. Oh dear…

* * *

Hope you liked this chapter.


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